Star Wars: Odyssey - BOOK 1: Destiny's Call
by Zulon
Summary: Born into a powerful family, Ben Skywalker faces the trials and tribulations that come with training as a Jedi. Alternate Timeline set within the Legends continuity, mixed with Canon elements.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Gathering

Location: Coruscant

38 ABY...

* * *

The slightest rays of sunlight edged it's way over the horizon, reflecting off the durasteel buildings that made up the Galactic City. Jacen Solo watched the sunrise from his bed, having been awake for the better part of an hour. Giving up on being able to get back to sleep, the young man rose from his bed and walked around to the foot of it. Taking a seat on the floor, he crossed his legs and began meditating, transforming himself into a conduit so that the Force could flow through him.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace._

 _There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

 _There is no passion, there is serenity._

 _There is no death, there is the Force._

He wasn't far into his meditation when a series of chirps began emanating from his communicator. Sighing, Jacen climbed back to his feet and approached his dresser, grabbing the device and activating it. The bedroom was immediately bathed in a ghostly-blue light, which coalesced into the form of his uncle; Luke Skywalker.

"Uncle Luke, what can I do for you?" Jacen asked.

"Jacen, I need you to bring Ben to the temple," he stated, "There's something important we need to discuss."

"Understood, Uncle Luke," Jacen said, "We'll be along as soon as we can."

"Meet me in the Situation Room when you get here."

Jacen promptly switched off the communicator, plunging the room once more into darkness. Due to the unorthodox views he had developed during his five year journey, his uncle had begun harbouring misgivings about his continued training of Ben. Due to the suffering brought on by the Yuuzhan Vong War, the boy had kept himself withdrawn from the Force, only opening himself up once convinced that it was safe. Not wanting to waste any more time, Jacen headed over to his closet and quickly got dressed. Emerging from his bedroom, he strolled across the hall to the room where his cousin slept and banged on the door.

"M'wake," murmured a voice from the other side.

"C'mon, Ben, we've got orders to report to the temple building," Jacen explained.

Several seconds passed before the door slid open and a groggy-looking preteen emerged. He stood dressed in a powder blue night tunic and matching pants, his red hair was pillow-mussed, while an awkwardly small braid dangled from the right side of the head.

"But it's so early," Ben whined.

"Can't be helped," Jacen said to his young cousin.

Ben grumbled to himself and stalked back into his room to get dressed, allowing Jacen to grab a quick caf before they left. He had nearly finished his first cup when Ben finally reappeared wearing a black muscle shirt with a pair baggy olive-coloured pants, and black boots.

"C'mon, let's get this over with," Ben mumbled.

* * *

Location: Jedi Temple

One hour later...

* * *

A roofless airspeeder passed through the doors of one of the temple's hanger, landing on the duracrete floor. Jacen hadn't even had the chance to power down the systems before Ben had vaulted from the vehicle, making his way across the hanger.

"Ben, hold your horses," he warned.

The boy's movements came to an abruptly halt, his foot beginning to tap with growing impatience. His eagerness was understandable; as he would've rather been back in bed, not having to take a trip to the Jedi Temple at the crack of dawn. Jacen soon caught up with the boy, and the pair continued onward, catching the turbolift that would take them to the main floor of the temple. The hallways were largely vacant, with only those on assigned duties being the ones who were up. They reached a second turbolift, this one designed to take them directly up to the High Council Tower. Their destination, however, was the Situation Room located beneath the High Council Chamber.

"Do you know what dad wanted to talk about?" Ben asked.

"He only said that it was important," Jacen replied, "Guess we'll find out soon enough."

The lift slowed to a stop and the doors slid apart, permitting the cousins to disembark. The Situation Room was located directly ahead, illuminated by the chamber's active holo-projector. As they stepped though the doorway, they found the Grand Master studying the planet that was on display.

"Thank you for coming. Sorry for the early wake up call," Luke apologized, turning to greet his nephew and son.

"Don't worry about it, Uncle Luke. What's the situation?" Jacen inquired.

"This is Ilum," he said gesturing to the planet on display, "For thousands of years, members of the Jedi Order would go on pilgrimage to this world."

"Yeah, I remember. Wasn't Jaina sent there a while back?" he questioned.

"That's correct. She was assigned to chaperone a group of students who were undertaking the Gathering."

Jacen nodded his head in understanding, though Ben had been oblivious to the entire exchange, his attention solely fixated on the planet. Following discovery of the Crucible's crash site on Florrum by Jedi Master Zuma, his uncle had reinstituted the Gathering as part of Jedi Training.

"Ben," Luke said, attempting to get his son's attention.

"Huh?" he asked, looking at his father.

"It's been decided; it is time for you to harvest your lightsaber crystal."

"Astral!" the boy said, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"Ilum is an arctic world, so you'd better dress warm," Luke suggested.

Nodding, Ben took off like a blaster bolt, intending to head down to his parent's apartment to get prepared.

"Jacen," his uncle said, "There are some things that we need to go over in order for you to access the temple on Ilum."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Descent

Location: Ilum

Several hours later...

* * *

The Lambda-class T-4a shuttle dropped out of hyperspace, taking up orbit around the planet Ilum. Jacen sat behind the controls and checked his wrist chronometer, making sure that they had arrived while the sun was up. It was a time-sensitive mission, one that would cause the temple to become inaccessible should they arrive too late. There were ways to bypass the trial, but it wouldn't be in Ben's best interest for him not to complete it as it was intended.

"There's Ilum," Jacen stated, "And we're right on schedule."

"I'm ready," Ben declared, brimming with confidence, "No more stupid practice sabers."

His cousin's eagerness was to be expected, since it wasn't everyday that you got to construct your first Lightsaber.

"Artoo, plot me a course closest to the temple," he instructed.

The R2 unit twiddled a response, and immediately attached his interface arm into the shuttle's computer terminal. Jacen activated several switches and pushed forward on the controls, heading down to the planet's surface. As the shuttle began its decent, the friction caused fire to spread across the exterior of the craft. The Lambda jostled about from the turbulence, becoming so intense that Ben worried that it might shake itself apart while they were airborne. As they pushed through the atmosphere, he suddenly exhaled, not realizing that he had been holding in his breath.

"Everything's fine, Ben," Jacen stated, sensing the tension that his cousin was radiating.

"I wasn't scared," the boy said, denying his cousin's accusation.

"If you say so," he razzed, a smirk appearing on his face.

Snow whipped across the viewport of the cockpit, reducing visibility to the point where Jacen needed to rely on the Force to guide him. Bringing the shuttle down upon the endless tracks of frozen tundra, the young man unbuckled himself and rose to his feet. Ben tried to follow suit, fumbling with the crash webbing before managing to extricate himself. He strolled into the shuttle's main cabin with a swagger in his step, Jacen shaking his head in amusement. For a boy who had only just celebrated his eleventh birthday three months ago, Ben was very much still a bundle of unfocused energy.

"You'd better go use the refreasher," Jacen suggested, "Once we begin, you aren't going to get the chance."

Agreeing, Ben rounded the corner to where the refreasher was located, leaving his cousin to continue packing the knapsack he had. Returning minutes later, the boy found that Jacen had donned a dark brown parka with a hood lined with Tauntaun fur. He had the exact same type of coat, but one that was obviously smaller because of the difference in size. Pulling it on along with a pair of mittens, Ben was ready to begin the task of harvesting a lightsaber crystal. Jacen strapped the knapsack across his back and approached the controls for the entry ramp. Permitted to take the lead, the boy headed down the ramp, his booted feet ringing against the durasteel. The howling of the wind assaulted his ears, while the frigid air violently tore the breath from his lungs.

"Not exactly hospitable!" Ben yelled, trying to project his voice over the wind.

"That's the point," Jacen said, giving the boy a playful slap on the back, "Artoo, have the ship ready to depart as soon as we get back."

The astromech trilled a response and disappeared from the Lambda's entry ramp, leaving the two to continue onward. The elder of the two immediately took the lead, his young cousin quickly falling in behind. Traversing Ilum's snowy landscape, the pair reached a mountain of rock jutting into the air, seemingly stretch on in both directions indefinitely. Dropping to one knee, Jacen began to Flow-walk, as taught to him by the Aing-Tii Monks. He watched as the surroundings begin to rapidly shift around, stopping only when a female Togruta walked past. She wasn't alone, with her was a group of younglings consisting of a Wookiee, a Human, a Tholothian, an Ithorian, a Rodian, and a Nautolan. The Togruta stopped and knelt down, brushing away the snow that had gathered on a large disk of stone emblazoned with the Jedi Order's crest.

"It's a dead end!" the Nautolan called out.

She cast a glance over her shoulder at her young charges, a knowing smirk appearing on her face as stood upright to face them.

"Younglings," she said, "Outstretch your hands and focus the Force. Together, and only together, can we enter."

She turned around, stretching out her left hand and closing her blue eyes in concentration. The others followed as was instructed, focusing on the Force until a deafening crack echoed across the barren landscape. Jacen watched as slabs broke away from the mountain, slamming into the ground and exposing the entrance to the temple. Immediately retreating back to the present, he became consciously aware that Ben was beside him, trying desperately to get his attention. Standing, Jacen turned to face his cousin, a smile on his face to dispel the boy's concerns.

"Sorry," he apologized, "Needed to make sure we were where we needed to be."

Taking his cousin's explanation at face value, Ben turned to stare at the unending expanse of rock and ice.

"How do we get in?" the boy asked, looking to Jacen for an answer.

"With the Force. Only by working together can we gain access," he replied, raising his arm.

Mimicking his cousin, Ben closed his eyes, submersing himself in the Force and focusing. He felt Jacen adding his own strength, and together they were successful in forcing the ice to crack. The sound was deafening, forcing Ben to open his sky blue eyes in time to watch the sheets of ice slamming into the ground.

"Good job, Ben," Jacen praised, bringing a smile to the boy's face.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Heart of the Blade

Location: Ilum Temple

Ten minutes later...

* * *

The inside of the temple was only slightly warmer then the surface of Ilum, but at least they were sheltered from the blizzard. As they entered the central chamber, Ben couldn't help but become awestruck by the sights. A mighty statue of a Jedi loomed above them, with a second lying broken at their feet. Patches of ice had formed on the stone tiles of the floor, while their booted feet kicked up a dusting of snow. There was a massive archway laying directly ahead of them, covered over by a thick sheet of ice. Jacen cast his eyes upward, finding a massive contraption suspended directly above. Remembering his uncle's instructions, he probed outward with the force, finding a window located near the apex of the chamber. It was exactly where he had been told it would be, hidden away behind a slab of stone. A grinding noise assaulted their ears as he parted the slab, natural light spilling into the chamber. Jacen switch his focus to the contraption itself, rotating it and causing light to refract through a mammoth crystal. He felt a ripple of wonder emanate through the Force, and knew that it was his cousin, watching the beams of light dance across the walls. A second, small crystal rotated outward, catching the light and redirecting it to an area above the archway. Ruins flared to life along the edge of the archway, rapidly melting the ice and causing a cascade of water to flow down the steps that seeped into the stone tiles.

"You ready, Ben?" Jacen asked.

"Go in, grab a crystal, get out. Easy peasy," the boy stated, brimming with overconfidence.

"No, Ben," his cousin said with a shake of his head, "The Force must be what guides you."

Turning his attention towards the archway, Ben found that it was beginning to ice over with the movement of the sun.

"But...it's already icing over," he said.

"Then you'd better not delay," Jacen warned, sensing hesitation in the boy.

"What if there are monster inside?" Ben asked, concern forming in his voice.

"There's only the Gorgodons," the man answered, feeling a flash a concern radiating from his cousin.

"Gorgodons?"

"But Uncle Luke and Master Katarn cleared them out a while ago," he quickly added, realizing that he had done little to dispel his fears.

"And if I'm trapped inside? You'll come a get me...right?"

"Hurry and you won't have to find out," he said in a slightly menacing tone.

Gulping, Ben began to ascend the steps, lingering briefly at the threshold of the Crystal Cave before heading inside.

"Now the real test begins," Jacen stated.

* * *

Location: Crystal Caves

Five minutes later...

* * *

Ben moved with cautiously through the passageway, his breaths coming out in a puff of white. His attention was drawn to the black stone that lined it, seemly absorbing every bit of light there was. Unable to rely on sight alone to guide him, he pressed his left hand against the wall, feeling the coldness seeping through his mitten. Arriving at a central chamber, Ben found three doorways, each one splitting off into a different direction.

"Great...Now what," he grumbled.

 _"You must let the Force be your guide."_

Letting out a sigh, the boy took up a kneeling position on the stone floor, submerging himself in the Force. At first he felt nothing, but then came a thrumming sound echoing from the depths of the caves. Expanding his Force awareness, Ben could feel himself being drawn to the doorway to the right. Pain lanced its way up through his knees as he rose to his feet, but he pushed it aside and continued onward. As he entered the caves themselves, he found formations of kathracite, pontitem, and mephite scattered about, but they weren't the objects of his attention. The thrumming had suddenly intensified, becoming a white-hot spike that occupied his thoughts.

"Ugh," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

His attention was drawn to the ceiling, where the sound was the loudest, stalactites of ice and rock suspended threateningly overhead. Something pulsed in the darkness above, and Ben could feel its pull when he submersed himself in the Force. Suspecting that it was his crystal, the boy glanced around, looking for some means of retrieving it. He supposed that scaling the mounds of rock was an option, but he really wasn't something he was looking forward to. Scowling, Ben dropped into a seated position on the ground, raising his arm and reaching out through the Force. Time became irrelevant as he sat there, focusing solely on the thrumming of the crystal that was his and his alone. His hand began to tremble as he tried to wiggle the crystal free, but it was resisting his attempts. He could feel his patience starting to wear thin, but he pushed it aside and redoubling his efforts. Patience was a virtue, or so he had been told, and it was only through that were he would find success. His patience was eventually rewarded when a barely discernible crack echoed throughout the cavern and the thrumming suddenly ceased. He felt something land in his outstretched hand, and promptly clenched it into a fist, desperate to hang on to it. As he brought his arm down, Ben opened his hand and stared down at the blue crystal that rested in his palm. It glowed with an inner light, one that and seemed to exude a calming influence over him. Grinning triumphantly, the boy climbed to his feet and made his way back to the temple's main chamber.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Lessons in Lightsabers

Location: Ilum Temple

Ten minutes later...

* * *

Jacen could feel his cousin's presence even before he heard the sound of his boots racing down the hallway. As he looked up, he saw that much of the entryway had iced itself back over, but not so much as to be a concern. Uncrossing his legs, Jacen slid down from his perch, and landed on the permafrost covered ground. Ben reappeared mere moments later, sliding across the stone tiles to get himself under the archway. It was an unnecessary move on Ben's part, only meant to impress those present to witness it.

"I did it!" Ben declared, scrambling back to his feet.

"Show me," Jacen demanded, placing his hands behind his back.

The boy gingerly made his way down the steps, careful not to make a misstep that would send him tumbling the rest of the way down. As the stopped in front of his mentor, Ben removed one of his mittens and showed him the crystal.

"Good work, Ben," Jacen praised, ruffling his hair.

During his cousin's journey into the Crystal Caves, he had taken the opportunity to set up a small campsite that he had set up, allowing him a chance to warm himself by a portable heating unit. Jacen removed a thermos from that knapsack he had brought with them, and poured out a brown liquid into a plastoid cup. Offering it to his cousin, he eagerly accepted it, wrapping his hands around it for warmth. But when Ben drank a mouthful, he found himself nearly choking on the unexpected sweetness.

"This...This is hot chocolate," he said, surprised.

"What, you were expecting Caf?"

"Well...um," the boy muttered, feeling somewhat guilty.

During the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, seven out of eight planets capable of producing the pods necessary to make chocolate had been re-shaped, making it a rare and expensive commodity.

"You've earned it, Ben," Jacen said, sensing his cousin's guilt.

"So...what happens now?" he asked, taking a seat in front of the heater.

"We'll head back to the temple," he answered, taking a seat as well, "Uncle Luke'll probably be the one who'll instruct you on lightsaber construction."

"When you built your lightsaber...what was that like?" the boy inquired.

Jacen considered the question for a moment, feeling himself getting swept up in the nostalgia, and the bitter memories that would soon follow it.

"It took me a week to construct my own lightsaber," he admitted.

"A WEEK!?" Ben cried out, his sky blue eyes widening significantly.

"Calm down," Jacen urged, "It's not the same for everyone. In fact, Uncle Luke said that it took him over a month to built his."

"Geez! I thought building a lightsaber would be a quick and easy thing," the boy muttered.

"There can be no shortcuts when it comes to building a lightsaber," he said, his words coming out more angrily then he intended.

Ben had noticed his change in tone, his eyes now regarding his cousin with a fair amount of suspicion.

"Do you know how Tenel Ka lost her left arm?" he asked with a sigh.

With a shake of the young Skywalker's flame-red hair, Jacen continued, hoping that his cousin would be educated.

"Fifteen years ago, she, myself, Jaina, and Lowbacca were tasked by Uncle Luke to construct lightsabers for ourselves. In a rush to complete her own, Tenel Ka cut corners, ones that proved nearly fatal. During a sparring exercise, her lightsaber malfunctioned, and I severed her arm."

"Bloah!" Ben said, his mouth totally agape.

"I blamed myself for what happened, still do sometimes, which is why you mustn't cut corners," he said, hearing the sternness in his voice.

Ben nodded his head vigorously, coming to understand the seriousness of his cousin's words.

"Good. Let's pack up and we'll head back to Coruscant," Jacen said.

* * *

Location: Jedi Temple

Several hours later…

* * *

"This is the Lightsaber Construction Chamber," Luke announced, leading his son into a chamber that rested within the very heart of the temple, "Jedi of all sorts come here to either construct or modify their lightsabers."

The wood-paneled chamber felt somewhat small, with half of the available space being taken up by wall-to-ceil cabinets. There were workbenches occupying the other half, with just enough room in the center to allow for one to practice. Brought before one of the workbenches, Ben was instructed to place his recently harvested crystal on its surface.

"In the past...the distant past, apprentices would construct their lightsabers as a final test before becoming Jedi Knights," Luke explained, "This was during a time when the Jedi Order had relocated to Tython. Here you will find all the necessary components needed to build your lightsaber."

"Jacen said that took you over a month to complete yours," Ben stated.

"I was...thorough," he admitted, "I also had to interrupt my work when a chance arose to rescue your Uncle Han."

"Wait, you didn't have your lightsaber when you rescued Uncle Han?" the boy questioned.

"No. It was during an unsuccessful attempt to rescue him from Boba Fett."

"Oh," Ben muttered in understanding.

"I want you to consider these words as you're building your lightsaber," he said.

 _The crystal is the heart of the blade._

 _The heart is the crystal of the Jedi._

 _The Jedi is the crystal of the Force._

 _The Force is the blade of the heart._

 _All are intertwined: the crystal, the blade, the Jedi._

 _You are one._

"That's so cheesy, dad," Ben commented, letting out a snort.

"Ben, can we please be serious?"

"Right..., sorry."

"Let it be the Force that guides your hands," Luke instructed, "Do not imagine what your lightsaber will look like, imagine what it will feel within your hands. What will make you strong in battle and humble in defeat?"

"I...I think I understand," the boy admitted.

"Good. Take your time," Luke urged, "No one is timing you."

"I know."

"Use extreme caution when using your lightsaber, it's not the training saber you've been using, it's is a real weapon and it won't have a safety feature preventing you from lopping off a limb."

"I know," he repeated again, this time with a sigh, "Jacen told me what happened to Tenel Ka, he said that I shouldn't take shortcuts."

"He's not wrong. You'll find all the components you need are in the cabinets."

Nodding, Ben watched as his father exited the chamber through the circular door, allowing him to begin the construction process in peace.

"The crystal is the heart of the blade. The crystal is the heart of the blade," he repeated as he got to work.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Control

Location: Jedi Temple

Three hours later...

* * *

Ben bolted upright and rubbed his tired eyes, showing brief moment of disorientation concerning his current whereabouts. Registering that he had been lying on the durasteel floor of the Lightsaber Construction Chamber, he climbed to his feet and approached the workbench he had been utilizing. He frowned inwardly when his eyes fell upon his lightsaber, realizing that he had subconsciously constructed the weapon to resemble that of his father's.

 _'What will make you strong in battle and humble in defeat?'_

The words quickly came flooding back to him, and he wondered if the design was meant to symbolize the relationship that he wished that he could have with his father. It made a degree of sense, he was closer to his mother then his father; who in a way he was fearful of. Picking up the weapon, Ben held it loosely in his right hand, getting a feel for its weight. Pressing his thumb against the activation stud plate, producing a plasma blade of aquamarine-blue energy. The weapon appeared to be in working order, but he wouldn't be satisfied unless he had a chance to test it properly. Deactivated it, Ben approached a plasteel container that was located in the corner of the chamber. They were filled with several Marksman-H combat remotes meant for trainees to test out their newly constructed lightsabers. Selecting one at random, he quickly programmed it for a short combat session and let the device fall from his grasp. As its low-powered repulsorlift unit lifting it into the air, Ben automatically went into Form I: Shii-Cho. It was the most basic of the seven forms, and the only one that he was competent with. Jacen hadn't yet instructed him on the other forms, but that was likely to change now that he had his own lightsaber. He easily defended himself against the blaster bolts fired at him by the training device, satisfying his concerns. Extinguishing his lightsaber, Ben collected the remote and returned it to storage crate. He approached the chamber door, ready to emerge, but stopped dead in his tracks when he felt the presence of his parents from the other side. There was a small lounge located outside the Lightsaber Construction Chamber, which made sense that they would wait for him there.

"It's been hours," he heard his mother say.

"Just give him time," his father said.

"Jacen's really gotten through to Ben these last few years, but I can't help but worry that he might be too young," she admitted.

"I'm old enough," Ben said bitterly, his words barely rising above a whisper.

"I'm not going to pretend that I don't share your concerns," his father stated, imagining that his blue eyes were meeting his mother's green, "But there must come a time when we need to take a step back."

It was no secret that his father harboured misgivings about Jacen, which stemmed from his actions during the conflict known as the Swarm War. Those concerns were unfounded according to Jacen, who had assured his young cousin that he had only been trying to avert an even greater war.

"Easier said then done," his mother said, snapping him back to reality, "This is our son we're talking about."

"There's that too."

"Ben's ready," a voice announced.

He instantly recognized the voice as belonging to Jacen, and he sensed that he was entering the room alongside his twin sister; Jaina. She and Zekk had been stationed on Quesh for the past week, tracking down missing shipments of chemicals used in the manufacturing of military-grade adrenals. The fact she had returned to Courscant early signified the importance of the moment, or the futility of the assignment.

"Where's your parents?" he heard his father ask, likely directing his question towards Jaina.

"They got stopped by Master Sebatyne on their way in. They're on their way," she answered.

"Was the mission successful?" his mother asked.

"Not really," she admitted, "We've got a lead we want to follow up on, but that can wait."

"That's a huge loss for the Galactic Alliance," Jacen commented, understanding the combat effectiveness of adrenals.

Ben soon felt the presence of his Aunt Leia and Uncle Han, and listened to the resulting greetings between then and his parents. Taking several deep breaths, Ben stepped forward, the door sliding open once he had stepped within range of the sensors.

"Hey kid," Han greeted.

"Hey, Uncle Han," he greeted back, hiding the fact that he had been aware of their presence.

"Well? Did you finish it?" Jaina asked.

"Yep," he replied, pride filling his voice.

"Show us," Luke ordered, hands clasped behind his back.

The boy handed over the newly-crafted lightsaber to his father, who carefully examined the weapon. He obviously recognised what had inspired the design of the weapon, but maintained a neutral expression, though it didn't conceal the feelings of pride he felt emanate from his father through the Force.

"Good work, Ben," he congratulated, returning the weapon.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Delegation

Location: Jedi Temple

Three days later...

* * *

Ben stood in front of the mirror, studying the image that was reflected back from its surface. He had attired himself in traditional Jedi apparel, which unfortunately made him look like a model for the world's dullest fashion line. Dignitaries from the Empire of Zakuul were scheduled to arrive on Courscant that day, and his family was to be part of the welcoming committee. Reclusive and isolated, Zakuul had been spared the troubles that had plagued the galaxy from their location in Wild Space. No longer content with remaining in isolation, they had been in negotiations with the Galactic Alliance to establish an embassy. Lasting over a standard year, today was the day that the Zakuulan Embassy opened for business.

"BEN! We've got to get a move on," his mother called.

Letting out a sigh, Ben promptly retrieved his dark brown cloak from his bed, and slipped it on. Preferring to stay over at Jacen's apartment rather then the Jedi Temple, his bed normally went unused. Last night had been the exception, with his cousin having been called away on urgent business. Emerging from his bedroom, the boy found both his parents standing in the living room. The apartment was only sparsely furnished, which kept with the Jedi Order's stance on property. His father was dressed in a set of Jedi robes that was indistinguishable from his everyday attire, while his mother wore a forest green tunic with long sleeves, matching pants, and brown boots.

"Do I have to come?" he asked, hoping he could worm his way out.

"The invitation was for all of us," Luke reminded, showing weariness in his voice.

Though the invitation had come directly from Cal Omas, the Chief of State had presented it more like an order. Overstepping his position like that was the very reason why the Jedi Council had clashed with the Chief of State in the past, something that was unlikely to end any time soon.

"Try not to whine about it," Mara warned.

"Why? Dad says that whining is a family trait," he commented, flashing a mischievous grin.

"And that's all and good," she said, placing a hand on her son's shoulder, "but we don't need you complaining in the presence of our guests."

"With any luck, he'll outgrow it by the time he's thirty," Luke added.

"That's not much comfort," the boy said.

Resigning himself to his fate, Ben headed for the front door of the apartment, and stepped out into the Larmalstone hallway beyond. Joined by his parents, the Skywalker Family made for the nearest turbolifts.

* * *

Location: Galactic Senate

One hour later...

* * *

Ben never thought it was possible for the Galactic City to be any busier, but given that it was such a momentous occasion, he shouldn't have been surprise. Standing outside the entrance to the senate building, he watched as a Hapan shuttle briefly touched down on the Avenue of the Core Founders. Emerging from the vessel was Jacen, who extending a hand to the passenger seated inside. Tenel Ka Djo's manicured hand grasped that of his cousin's, allowing her to safely disembark. Wearing an outfit that befitted the Queen Mother of the Hapes Consortium, it blended aspects of her Hapan and Dathomiri heritage. Fastened around her neck was a purple cape, crafted from the finest fabric available in the Hapes Cluster. It was draped down the left side of her body, which helped to conceal the arm that she had lost. The display of camaraderie between the two invoked an exchanging of glances between his parents, something that Ben took notice of. The closeness shared between Jacen and Tenel Ka often bordered on romantic, which had spawned rumors that he had fathered her daughter; Allana. He didn't believe the validity of such rumors, if he had sired a child, then he would've assuredly said something about it. And yet he couldn't shake the underlying feeling that his belief on the matter was somehow incorrect. When no other passengers disembarked, the shuttle took to the air, disappointing the attending journalists who had hoped to catch a glimpse of the Chume'da. It wasn't all that surprising that Allana wasn't in attendance, as Tenel Ka was extremely protective of her. Her lack of public appearances led to theories that she was somehow deformed, viewed as a death sentence for a culture who place a high value on beauty. Having met Allana personally, Ben knew that it had everything to do with Hapan Politics. It wasn't unusual for jealous family members to order the death of their loved ones, if it meant that they could advance their political standing.

"Master Skywalker," Tenel Ka greeted.

"Queen Mother," he said with a bow, with Mara and Ben following suit.

"It is good to see you all again," she said.

"How was the trip from Hapes?" Mara asked.

"Very well, thank you."

"Is this the reason why you left me at the temple last night?" the boy questioned.

"It was I who requested that Jedi Solo serve as my escort," the Queen Mother stated.

Ben felt his parents unease through the Force, likely due to it having not been properly cleared with the temple.

"Hello, Ben. You've grown since the last time I saw you," Tenel Ka observed.

He felt his cheeks burn red with embarrassment, thankfully short lived with the timely arrival of the Chief of State. He was joined by Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano representing the Chiss Ascendency, and Gilad Pellaeon; Head of State of the Imperial Remnant. Omas' personal security detail was no doubt lurking nearby, keeping watch over their charge.

"Such a beautiful day for a foreign visit," Omas commented, clasping his hands behind his back.

"It's not every day Coruscant hosts dignitaries," Pellaeon stated.

He remembered Uncle Han telling him stories of when the Hapans dispatched a delegation to the New Republic all those years ago. Words alone failing to describe the sight of several Star Destroyers, Hapan Battle Dragons, and a Nova-class battle cruiser holding orbit over Courscant. Turning his eyes skyward, Ben watched as an imposing capital ship suddenly emerged from hyperspace. It was a vessel that exceeded the size of a Victory II-class Star Destroyer by a hundred meters.

"Astral!" he said, awestruck.

"That's the Valkorion," Omas announced, "It's the flagship of Emperor Arokani."

A smaller vessel departed the flagship moments later, escorted by ships from Courscant's defensive fleet. As the vessel drew closer, they could make out that it was a tri-winged shuttle, similar yet different from the Lambda. Landing, the doors to the shuttle were thrown open and a phalanx of guards emerged. Each was decked out in gold armour, and armed with a blue lightsaber pike and a rectangular shield. They formed two rows of five, and abruptly turned to face the carpeted pathway, their lightsaber pikes striking the ground with an audible clack.

"I'd say there wasn't this much pomp and circumstance when my grandmother had the Consortum join the New Republic, but I'd be lying," Tenel Ka whispered.

Another figure soon emerged from the vessel, an official-looking man with thinning grey hair.

"PRESENTING, PRINCESS GALILEA OF THE EMPIRE OF ZAKUUL," the crier announced.

Disembarking was a young woman, with shoulder-length brown hair and wearing a regalia that consisted of black and gold. She marched across the Avenue of the Core Founders, followed by a black-haired man, and a small boy of around nine years of age.

"Chief Omas, allow me to apologize on behalf of my father," she said, stopping before the Chief of State.

"There's no need, Your Grace," Omas said, "I'm sure he had his reasons."

"Allow me to introduce my husband; Lord Nahuel, and our son; Prince Tadeas," she introduced.

"A pleasure to meet you. Allow me to introduce you to key members of the Galactic Alliance," the Chief of State began, "From the Hapes Consortium, I present the Queen Mother - Tenel Ka Chume Ta Djo."

"It is an honour," Tenel Ka said with a bow, ignoring the fact that Omas had used her full name.

"Representing the Chiss Ascendency, I present Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano."

"Greetings."

"And from the Imperial Remnant, I present Head of State Gilad Pellaeon."

"Your Majesties."

"I'd also like to introduce you to Luke Skywalker; Grand Master of the Jedi Order, along with his wife; Mara Jade, their son; Benjamin, and their nephew: Jacen Solo."

Ben shuddered inwardly, no one ever referred to him by that name, not even his own parents.

"It is a pleasure," Princess Galilea said.

"Your Grace, if you'll follow me the Senate awaits," Omas suggested.

"Of course."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Political Mingling

Location: Zakuulan Embassy

Two hours later...

* * *

Following her speech before the senate, Princess Galilea had led her entourage to Zakuul's new embassy. Courscant's political elite had gathered at the Courscant Skyrise, from the rawest hack to the most entrenched fossil. Crippling boredom had quickly ensued, leaving Ben with nothing to distract himself with. He had slipped out of the reception, and had stepped out onto the embassy's sprawling balcony. It had been transformed into a rooftop garden by the Zakuulans, with a variety of flora native to the imperial capital. Members of the Honour Guard were on patrol, but paid no mind to the Jedi-in-training as he took a seat on a nearby bench. Seating himself next to a larmalstone planter, he stared up into the sky, watching the passing of the dense sky traffic.

"You bored too?" a small voice asked.

Standing only a few feet away was a boy with a few days growth of brown hair on his shaved head. His attire consisted of a long-sleeved tunic, pants, knee-high boots, and a thick belt, all black and gold. The colours were associated with members of the Eternal House, and the young Skywalker quickly realized that it was Prince Tadeas.

"Um...your highness," Ben stammered.

The boy waved his hand dismissively, having no real desire in upholding royal etiquette.

"I'd rather we dispense with protocol," he stated, "You're...Benjamin, right?"

"Just Ben," he replied with a sigh, "No one ever calls me Benjamin."

"Oh..., sorry."

"It's not your fault. I don't know why the Chief of State called me by that name?"

There was a lingering silence between the two boys, occasionally broken only by the sound of a passing airspeeder. Ben's eyes began to wonder, but he could tell that the prince's grey eyes were fixated on his lightsaber. He was about to open his mouth to say something, but the boy was quick to beat him to the punch.

"Are you a Squire?" he abruptly asked.

"A what?"

"A Squire. You are a Jedi-in-training, aren't you?"

"No, we're called apprentices. Is that what trainees are called on Zakuul?"

"Yeah. A child attains the rank of Squire once they've turned seven-years-old," the prince explained, "Well...they first need to be Force-sensitivity."

"What happens if they're found to be Forceful?"

"Well...then they're removed from their families and placed under the tutelage of one of the knights."

"Are you training to become a knight?" Ben asked.

"My training doesn't involve the same procedures as your average knights," Tadeas admitted, "Potential heir to the Eternal Throne and all. What's it like for you Jedi?"

"I never attended the academy, so I can't really attest to how thing are done there," he admitted.

"Oh...Why's that?" Tadeas questioned.

"I was born amidst the fires of the Yuuzhan Vong War," he explained, "I felt the deaths they caused and I became withdrawn from the Force. I've only really began opening myself up to it within the last several years."

Tadeas opened his mouth to say something, but any words promptly died within his throat when another knight approached. He was a blonde-haired man, clad in the standard armour worn by the Knights of Zakuul, but his was silver and white variation.

"Your Highness," the man said, "There are guests that your mother wishes for you to meet."

"I just needed some fresh air, Lycurgus," the boy stated.

"Be that as it may, you're needed indoors...now."

Tadeas let out a sigh, and gave Ben a lingering stare, conveying his desire to speak more, but was reluctantly forced to leave.

"It was nice talking to you," he said.

"You too, Your Highness."

Alone once more, Ben briefly mulled over the idea of heading back inside the embassy.

"Looks like you've made a friend," a voice stated.

Nearly jumping out of his skin, the boy turned to discover his cousin standing nearby, arms crossed as he leaned against a planter.

"How long have you been standing there?" he demanded.

"Long enough," he said, flashing a smile, "What do you say we get out of here?"

"Finally," Ben said, shoving himself off the bench and onto his feet, "Hanging out with these stuffy politicians is super boring."

"We'll have to stop at the Hapan Embassy first," Jacen explained, "The Queen Mother wishes to return to Hapes as soon as she can."

"That's fine," he stated, just wanting to make a getaway.

"Let's go find your parents."

Agreeing, the pair headed back inside the embassy, which was lit by blue glowpanels. The massive windows were tinted, making the interior appear dimmer then it actually was. The most dominate feature in the room was the large arbor arrangement located directly in the center. They found his parents standing with Tenel Ka, speaking with a dark-eyed Tarsunt dressed in dark blue robes. Ben recognized him as Lanever Villecham, a senator who was speculated to be planning a candidacy for Chief of State. His mother must've known he was approaching, as she immediately turned her green eyes in their direction.

"There you are," she said, "Where did you wonder off to?"

"I was bored, so I went out on the balcony," Ben explained.

She nodded her head in understanding, turning her attention back to the Tarsunt long enough to watch him depart.

"We're going to escort the Queen Mother back to the embassy," Jacen announced.

"We weren't going to stay much longer ourselves," Mara stated, "Are you sure you don't want to wait around for a bit?"

"Naw," Ben replied.

"Be back at the temple," Luke instructed, "I've got an assignment for you."

Not wanting to make a scene, Ben tried to conceal his excitement at going on his first assignment, but he needed to know the details.

"What's my mission about?" he asked, eagerness in his voice.

"You'll find out once we're back at the temple," Luke reminded.

"Are you ready to depart, Your Majesty?" Jacen inquired.

"Please lead the way, Jedi Solo. Jedi Skywalker," Tenel Ka stated.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Besieged

Location: Coruscant

The next day...

* * *

"This sucks," Ben declared, from his place on the bench.

He was currently sitting outside the Pius Dea Spaceport, watching beings from half a dozen worlds walk the crowded streets. He would've preferred to be back at the temple, working as a tour guide for the Eternal House. Chief Omas had offered the Zakuulans a tour of the Jedi Temple, which just so happened to have involved not consulting the Jedi Council before hand. Unfortunately, with it being sprung on them at last minute, it was impossible to postponed his assignment. Just thinking about his first assignment only served to sour the youth's mood further. His father had decided to dispatch him to Taanab; an agriworld located in the galaxy's Inner Rim. He was to aid in the local harvest, work that could hardly be described as being worthy of a Jedi.

 _"I'd do anything to get out of this,"_ he thought bitterly to himself.

"WE LEARN FROM THOSE WHO COME BEFORE US AND GAIN STRENGTH FROM THEIR TRIUMPHS AND FAILURES," a voice declared, drawing the boy's attention.

Standing nearby was a robed man, his face covered by a mask that was Mandalorian, but in reality was little more then a prop from a costume shop. A small group of people had gathered to hear the man's words, and he felt oddly compelled to join them. Standing up, Ben headed in that direction, stopping at the back of the crowd as the man continued his impromptu sermon.

"AS A JEDI, REVAN WAS A WARRIOR WHO SLAUGHTERED ARMIES. AS A SITH, REVAN WAS A TEACHER WHO TRAINED A THOUSAND DARK APPRENTICES. EVENTUALLY, JEDI AND SITH BOTH TURNED ON REVAN. BUT INSTEAD OF BEING DESTROYED, REVAN WAS REBORN."

Ben recognized the name, a legendary hero who had fought in both the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil. Feeling someone tap him on the shoulder, he turned to discover that it was Jacen. Artoo was located a few feet away, the astromech having been assigned to them by his father. He couldn't help but eye the droid with suspicion, wondering whether he was simply there to spy.

"C'mon, Ben. We've got to get a move on," he stated.

"Who's the weirdo?" he asked, reluctantly walking away from the crowd.

"Some cultist," his cousin answered, "Calls themselves the Order of Revan."

"A STORM IS COMING, AND IT SHALL HERALD THE RETURN OF OUR PATRON!" the Revanite suddenly declared, drawing both their attention.

"Are they dangerous?"

"There's always that risk when it comes to cults," his cousin replied.

"...And we're just gonna put up with them?"

"They only started coming out of the woodwork a little while ago. The council hasn't been able to gauge their intentions yet."

The trio headed inside the spaceport, finding it even more crowded then the streets outside. Their status as members of the Jedi Order allowed them to bypass the customs officers, though his earned them looks of disapproval from those travellers who saw this. Arriving at the turbolift tubes, Jacen summoned for one of the lifts and patiently waited for it to arrive.

"Do I have to farm?" Ben asked, a scowl forming on his face.

"You heard what Uncle Luke said; he wants to see all trainees assist in the betterment of galactic society," Jacen reminded.

"Then why am I the only one doing farming?"

"You aren't. Those that did the Gathering the other year were required to do so as well."

Ben let out a huff and crossed his arms, stubbornly refusing to buy his cousin explanation. With the arrival of the turbolift, the trio stepped inside and rode it to the private hanger that Jacen retained. Stepping through the doors, they found a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle was parked on the duracrete floor, the same one they had used to travel to Ilum.

 _"Please let something happen,"_ Ben silently begged, as he reluctantly marched up the entry ramp.

* * *

Location: Ktil System

Two hours later...

* * *

The Lambda was adrift in space, having been forced to drop out of hyperspace due to Artoo detecting a malfunction in one of the engines. Ben stood on the edge of the opened maintenance hatch, staring down into the shuttle's lower levels. It was pitch black, with only the movement of a glowrod to indicate that there was someone down below.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?" he asked, feeling guilty that he had gotten his way.

"No," Jacen muffled a reply, "Why don't you check out the HoloNet?"

Sighing, Ben accepted his cousin's suggestion and headed back into the cockpit, slumping into the co-pilot's sear. Powering up the shuttle's HoloNet transceiver, he was immediately greeted by the image of a female Devaronain. He recognized her as Madhi Vaandt a freelance reporter for the Perre Needmo Newshour.

 _"...declaration of the Great Hunt,"_ she reported.

He had activated the Holonet right in the midst of her report, leaving him confused as to what the news segment had been about. The feed was abruptly cut off when the Lambda was rocked by a violent explosion, hurling Ben into the console in front of him. An intense pain exploded within his ribs from the impact, driving the air from his lungs. The pain alone nearly caused him to black out, and he suddenly found that breathing had become difficult.

"BEN! WHAT WAS THAT!?" Jacen hollered, his voice nearly drowned out by the emergency klaxons.

The boy watched as a sleek-looking starship passed in front of the viewport, turning widely to make another attack run. He opened his mouth to respond, but his words only managed to come out in a painful whimper. Artoo let out a panicked string of beeps as the shuttle was fired upon a second time. Scrambling up through the maintenance hatch, Jacen noticed the pained expression on his cousin's face. He was about to step over the threshold and into the cockpit, when the Lambda was strafed by their mysterious attacker. Flung into the bulkheads, Jacen was nearly sent tumbling back through the maintenance hatch, only managing to catch himself at the last second. He could sense something scuttling across the surface of the shuttle; Buzz Droids most likely, and they were trying to cut their way into the interior. Jacen made for the cockpit, the sound of leaking atmosphere intensifying to the point that it drowned out the emergency klaxons. There came an explosive from the exterior of the shuttle, which ruptured the passenger cabin, dragging Jacen from the doorway.

"JACEN!" Ben cried out in horror.

The last thing the boy witnessed before the doors to the cockpit slammed closed was the sight of his cousin being dragged into the cold vacuum of space. He heard the hyperdrive powering up and turned in his seat to find Artoo plugged into the shuttle's computer terminal.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" he demanded.

The R2 unit twiddled a response, but continued to calculate an emergency jump into hyperspace.

"WE CAN'T LEAVE JACEN!" Ben yelled, anguish in his voice.

The droid ignored the boy's pleas, concerning himself only with his safety, even as the Lambda was struck by more laser cannon fire. Concluding that the shuttle wouldn't survive for much longer, Artoo randomized a jump to hyperspace. Despite Ben's protests, the boy could do nothing but watch the stars elongate as the shuttle made the jump to hyperspace.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Stranded

Location: Tatooine

Several hours later...

* * *

The first thing that Ben was aware of upon regaining consciousness was that he was laying on the durasteel floor, followed by excruciating pain. Slowly lifting his head off the floor, the boy beheld only an all consuming darkness. A whimper of pain escaped his lips as he tried to push himself off the floor, aggravating his injured ribs. As he sat on the floor, his eyes became adjusted to the darkness, which ultimately revealed that he was lying on the ceiling of the shuttle. He remembered the attack, and the breach that had sucked Jacen out into the vacuum of space. With his heart filling with grief, Ben choked back a cry, eyes quickly becoming blurred with tears. A twiddle filled the cockpit, drawing the boy's attention to a section of the cabin where Artoo lay sprawled.

"Artoo...?" he asked, concern filling his voice.

He should've been angry with the astromech for leaving Jacen behind, but the fact that he wasn't alone was enough to placate him. Without warning, Artoo's droid legs suddenly swung all the way up to its domed head, striking the durasteel ceiling that now served as their floor. The R2 Unit quickly righted himself, swivelling his head in Ben's direction and activating it's spotlight.

"GAH! TURN THAT OFF!" he hissed, shielding his eyes.

The droid twiddled an apology and promptly shut the spotlight off, plunging the cockpit into darkness once more. Silence filled the interior of the shuttle, only broken when Ben got up the nerve to asked the question that was on his mind.

"Where are we, Artoo?"

The astromech twiddled a response, one that immediately put a frown on the young boy's face.

"Tatooine...Ulgh," he grumbled.

His father had made no attempts to hide his disdain for the desert world, and he wasn't looking forward to having to traverse it. Climbing to his feet, abet with a degree of difficulty, Ben pondered on how they would escape the shuttle. Calling upon his survival training, the boy immediately began a search for the survival kit.

"Artoo, give me some light," he requested.

The droid complied, activating his spotlight and bathing the cockpit in bright illumination. Typically, the survival kit onboard a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle was located under the console, which was unfortunately directly above him now. He could make out the red plastoid of the kit and reached out with the Force, taking hold of it telekinetically and giving it a yank. It offered no resistance, instead Ben suspected that he had used too much strength as it shot across the cockpit and struck the door with a clatter. Retrieving the kit, the boy opened it and quickly made an appraisal of its contents. There was a holstered Blurrg-1120 holdout blaster which he promptly attached to his utility belt. There were three ration bars, a survival knife, a thermal blanket, a glowrod, stimpills, a canteen full of water, and a medkit. Removing the medkit, Ben was about to drop the survival kit onto the 'floor' when Artoo offered his grasper arm.

"Thanks, Artoo."

Placing the medkit between his legs, and with a great degree of difficulty, managed to remove his muscle shirt. The boy was momentarily startled by the sight of the massive bruise that was spread across his right side, but was more concerned by its shade of purple. He briefly wondered if he had suffered internal injuries, but quickly dismissed that as a possibility. Had he was bleeding internally, then there would've been more obvious signs. Opening the medkit, he removed a roll of tenser bandage and carefully began to wind it around his waist. It took several minutes, but eventually he had succeeded in getting it properly wrapped. He then removed an auto-injector that contained a fast acting painkiller and injected himself with it, numbing the pain in his ribs. He stuffed his pockets with the remaining contents, just on the off chance that he required them. Discarding the medkit, Ben retrieved the survival kit and removed the canteen, glowrod, and knife, affixing them to his utility belt. The remaining items went where he could fit them, but he was successful in that regard. He spotted Jacen's Nerf-leather jacket lying on the floor, creating a new wave of sorrow for the boy. Deciding not to attempt to put his shirt back on, he instead retrieved the jacket and slipped it on over his bare torso. It was meant for someone of a larger frame then his own, forcing Ben to roll up the sleeves. His focus then shifted to the task of trying to get out of the shuttle, which was easier said then done. The control panel for the cockpit's entry hatch was now inaccessible to him, and even if he could, there was the issue of trying to climb his way through it. He wasn't eager with trying in his condition. He also had his doubts that he could lift Artoo, which meant that escaping using the shuttle's entry ramp was out of the question. Unclipping his lightsaber, Ben activated its aquamarine blade and plunged it into the durasteel wall. It resisted his attempts at cutting himself an exit, but eventually his perseverance paid off. He had cut a sizable half oval into the durasteel, which would enable Artoo to vacate the damaged shuttle effortlessly. Grabbing the slab of durasteel with telekinesis, Ben shove it with all the strength he could muster. It hit the sand with a muffled thud, filling the cockpit with something other then recycled air. Night had descended upon the desert, and with it had come a rapid drop in temperature. Shivering involuntarily, the boy headed through the newly created opening, taking care not to touch the glowing edges. Boots touching the desert sand, he turned to find that the Astromech had followed him through the hole.

"Well? Any idea where the nearest settlement might be?" Ben asked, pulling Jacen's jacket tighter around his body.

Artoo replied that Bestine was closest to their current position and promptly extended his third leg, allowing him to roll across the desert sand.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Guiding Hand

Location: Jundland Wastes

Daybreak...

* * *

The sandstorm had hit suddenly and without warning, catching Ben and Artoo completely off guard. The blowing sand lashed against his exposed skin, which felt like being stabbed with a thousand tiny needles. He had hefted the jacket over his head in an attempt to shield his eyes, but he had been only partially successful in that regard.

"We gotta find shelter, Artoo!" Ben shouted, trying to project his voice over the howling of the wind.

The Astromech's response come out in a string of beeps and werps, warning the boy that the storm had had an adverse effect on his sensors. With visibility reduced, Ben didn't see the wisdom in wandering around aimlessly round through the desert. The alternative was for them to simply stay put and wait for the storm to pass, but that wasn't an option either.

 _"Ben...,"_ a voice said, drifting across the wind.

Startled, the boy stopped dead in his tracks, the abruptness causing the Astromech to collide with him. Knocked to the ground, Ben's ribs became freshly aggravated, eliciting a groan of pain from the boy. Artoo immediately twiddled an apology, watching as the young Skywalker slowly climbed back to his feet. He wanted to dismiss the voice, chalking it up to his ears playing tricks on him, but found himself unable to so.

 _"Ben...,"_ the voice repeated.

He became certain that he wasn't imagining things, and found himself uttering the word before he realized that he was doing so.

"Grandpa...?"

 _"Follow my voice, Ben,"_ Anakin said, his words assailing the boy from all directions.

"I...I can't! I don't know where you are!" he called out.

The R2 Unit twiddled out an inquiry, confused by the boy's reaction and unable to comprehend it. The droid's confusion was understandable, he wasn't touched by the Force and therefore couldn't detect what he was experiencing. Ben watched as the swirling sand seemed to coalesce into the image of a man, his form silhouetted against the raging storm.

 _"Come...,"_ his grandfather urged, _"Let me be your guide."_

Watching the silhouette slowly began to drift away, Ben broke into a run, attempting to chase after the phantom.

"C'mon! Keep moving!" the youth urged, prompting the droid to follow.

* * *

Location: Jundland Wastes

One hour later...

* * *

Continuing his traversal of the of the desert, the sand had steadily changed to a landscape that was rocky and the barren, like a canyon. The storm had grown increasingly worse, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and rain. Only the foolhardy would've attempted to brave it, and Ben could easily be counted amongst their ranks. Chasing after the ghost of his dead grandfather didn't exactly make him look like a bastion of stability. No matter how much the boy tried to quicken his pace, Anakin Skywalker was always just out of range.

"Grandpa, where are we going?" Ben asked, growing weary.

 _"You're nearly there,"_ stated the redeemed Jedi.

Artoo twiddled out a conformation, collaborating his grandfather's statement that they were nearly there. Encouraged by this, Ben pushed forward, eventually catching the glimpse of a structure perched upon the ridge above them. Quickening his pace, the youth began to ascend a slope that split off from the main path through the area. Reaching his destination, the boy found a dilapidated-looking hut constructed out of synstone. His hope further dwindled when he came to the realization that the building had been abandoned.

"Stang," he cursed, having hoped that the residents could've expedited his journey.

 _"You'll be safe here,"_ Anakin stated, _"The storm will pass in time."_

Turning, Ben was finally able to see the robed figure of the infamous Anakin Skywalker. He had the appearance of man in his twenties, with shaggy brown hair and a long scar down the right side of his face.

"But how am I suppose to get home?" the boy asked.

 _"Do not be so quick to despair, Ben,"_ he said, _"Continue your journey to Bestine and you'll encounter help along the way."_

He was hesitant to believe his grandfather's words, but he hadn't thus far been steered wrong.

"Okay, Grandpa," Ben sighed reluctantly.

Watching his grandfather fade away, the boy heading through the open door of the hut, he discovered that the interior of the hut was in even worse shape then the outside. A portion of the ceiling had collapsed, allowing the sand to enter the building unobstructed. Garbage lay strewn about the living area, making it a challenge for him to access the other rooms. Conducting a half-hearted search of those rooms yielded only the knowledge that anything of value had long ago been stripped away. Returning to the living area, Ben found that Artoo had taken up position near the front door. He almost instantly tripped over a durasteel pipe, which sent him crashing into the floor. A new wave of pain was sent shooting through his injured ribs, knocking the wind from him.

"Why? Why must it always be my ribs?" he whimpered.

Artoo inquired if he was alright, prompting Ben to slowly rose to his knees, his left arm favoring his ribs.

"Yeah. I'm okay," the boy replied, glancing around the abandoned hut, "You should probably enter standby mode."

The droid let out a twiddle of confusion, wanting to know why that would be required of him.

"We can't have you running out of power before we managed to reach Bestine," he advised.

Acknowledging this, Artoo still wanted to know where his young master would be in the meantime.

"I found a trap door in the kitchen," he answered, "I think it leads down to the cellar. I'll sleep down there until nightfall and we'll continue onward."

Heading back into the kitchen, Ben was followed by R2, who took up position next to what had been a ventilation unit. It took some effort to pull the trap door open, the strain further aggravating his wounded ribs, but he nonetheless managed to succeeded. Unclipping the glowrod, the boy activated it, and peered into the hole, finding only cobwebs to greet him. Climbing down the ladder, he could feel the temperature was becoming significantly cooler. Reaching solid ground, Ben glanced around, finding himself standing in what had previously been a workshop. Using the Force, he blow away the layer of dust that had settled upon the floor, but found that a normally simple task had taken an effort. Removing the thermal blanket, he ripped open the package and laid it upon the threadbare rug. slipping off Jacen's jacket, the boy bundled it into a ball and deposited it on the floor as well. Taking a seat on the floor, Ben deactivated the glowrod, plunging the cellar into darkness as he laid down. With his mind no longer distracted by the immediate need to ensure his own survival, he broke into a sob and cried himself to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Lost Legacy

Location: Jundland Wastes

Several hours later...

* * *

Awakening, Ben was briefly disoriented as to his location, before remembering his present circumstances. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he checked his chrono and discovered that he had slept for well over ten hours. It was longer then he had intended, and precious time had been lost because of it. The need to empty his bladder became his primary concern, and he quickly scrambled up the ladder after recovering Jacen's jacket. Darkness had fallen over the desert, but it wouldn't be long before the sun had risen once more. Artoo was still where he had left him, and he emerged from standby mode the moment he detected movement.

"It's just me, Artoo," Ben assured, pulling on the jacket.

The R2 Unit twiddled out a comment, stating that the boy had overslept, an accusation he made no attempt to deny.

"We'll be leaving soon, I've just gotta take a leak," he stated, exiting through the side door.

Approaching the edge of the cliff, the boy unbuckled his pants and lowered them past his hips. Reaching into his boxer briefs, he pulled out his penis and began to urinate, relieving the pressure that had been building in his bladder. Once he had done his business, Ben did up his pants and re-entered the building through the door he had used. Artoo was nowhere to be found, instead he heard a banging noise coming the main living area. Unclipping his lightsaber, the boy carefully maneuvered himself through the kitchen doorway. He found the R2 Unit behaving strangely, banging itself against what had been a display table. He couldn't help but worry that the astromech was malfunctioning, just like he had during the Killik Expansion.

"A-Artoo?" he asked, concern creeping into his voice.

The droid ceased what it was doing, swivelling his head and fixating his spotlight onto the boy.

"What are you doing?" he questioned, trying to shield his eyes.

The R2 Unit twiddled out a comment, stating that he had visited the hut before and that it belonged Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ben was surprised by this revelation, but he could feel the Light Side of the Force permeating the building. The youth couldn't help but wonder if his grandfather had ulterior motives for leading him to the hut, yet had mentioned nothing.

"Well why didn't you say anything?"

The astromech twiddled a response, replying that the boy had never asked, further added that he had scanned the room and had detected something that had been hidden away. It seemed inconceivable that anything could have gone undiscovered in nearly forty years, especially when both his father and his aunt had visited the hut at different times in the past. Humoring the droid, Ben approached the display table and found that he had managed to smash a hole into the synstone. A portion of the material had been patched up, and could've easily been dismissed as a home repair job. Peering into the newly made hole, the boy discovered something metallic had been wedged inside. Realizing that Artoo had been correct, he stuck his hands inside, discerning that the object was a lockbox of some kind. Gripping the box, the boy gave it a tug, dislodging it and sending him onto his backside. He quickly distracted himself from the momentary embarrassment by focusing his attention what Artoo had managed to uncover. It was indeed a lockbox, crafted from durasteel and engraved with letters from the Aurebesh alphabet. Tracing his fingers across the engravings, he was able to make out the letters corresponding to Forn, Osk, Resh _,_ Leth, Usk, Krill, and Esk. When combined, they spelled out two words: FOR LUKE, meaning that the lockbox was meant for his father. He was tempted to open it and the droid had even offered to cut the lock off with his utility saw, but the boy shook his head in disagreement.

"It wouldn't be right, Artoo," Ben stated, "Master Kenobi left it for dad, he should be the one to open it."

He nonetheless gave the container a gentle shake, feeling something heavy sliding around inside. Placing the lockbox on the floor, Ben took a seat and fished a ration bar out of one of the pocket of the jacket. He hadn't eaten since leaving Courscant, and his hunger had grown to the point where he could no longer ignore it. It was tough to crew and tasted like stale cardboard, but at least it was better then nothing at all. He washed it with water from his canteen and promptly rose to his feet, ready to head out once more.

"Ready to go, Artoo?" he asked.

When the droid twiddled out an affirmative, Ben reached down and retrieved the lockbox, heading for the front door. Sunrise would be in less then five hours, and the boy had no desire to be traversing the desert under the oppressive heat of two suns. From their position on the ridge, he could make out the lights of a settlement in the distance, likely Bestine. His heart sank at the distance they had left to travel, but knew that complaining about it wouldn't get him there any faster. Sighing, Ben made for the slope and began heading down, the unforgiving desert awaiting him.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Desperation

Location: Jundland Wastes

Four hours later...

* * *

Before he knew it the suns had risen, bringing with it a heat that was nearly too much to bear. Ben's movements had become sluggish, and yet the suns were still far from having reached their apex.

"So...hot," the boy complained, trying to keep one foot in front of the other.

The wind blowing across the desolate landscape was the only sound that accompanied his footsteps, drowning out the whir of Artoo's treads. The astromech suddenly let out a warble, causing the young Skywalker to turn in response. His worse fears were realized when the droid jerked forward several times before coming to a complete stop.

"Artoo...?" he asked in concern.

When the R2 Unit failed to respond, Ben was sent into a panic at the prospect at being alone. Rushing over to the droid, the boy grabbed a hold of his cylindrical body and tried to give him a shake.

"Artoo! Artoo! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!" he begged.

Eliciting no response, the boy pressed his forehead against the astromech's hot durasteel shell, eyes becoming blurred with tears.

"This is all my fault..."

Everything that had happened thus far had resulted because he had wanted to get out of having to farm on Taanab. Jacen was dead because of him, all because of his unwillingness to simply accept his assignment. Unprepared to leave Artoo behind, Ben sat himself down on the sand, remaining just as motionless as the droid. Time became an irrelevant concept for the boy, who only stirred when the voice in his head began to mock him.

"He...is...dead," it whispered, "He is dead..."

"No...," Ben whimpered.

"You allowed him to die..."

"No!"

"You failed your master."

"No!"

"You...will...DIE!"

Looming over him was a figure silhouetted against the blazing sun, a crimson lightsaber held threateningly above him

"NO!" the boy screamed.

Igniting his own lightsaber, Ben slashed at the figure, catching only empty air and causing his weapon to slip from his grasp. It landed a few feet behind him, it's impact muffled by the endless tracks of sand. Pitching forward, he collapsed to the ground, the sinister laughter drifting upon the wind. Oblivion promptly took possession of the boy, and he was grateful for the diversion.

* * *

Location: Motesta Oasis

Two hour later...

* * *

Ben stirred awake, a feeling of nausea swept over him, quickly forcing him into a seated position. He felt something land in his blanketed lap, a damp cloth that had been resting against his forehead. Distracted from the sickness that he felt, the boy glanced around his unfamiliar surrounds. He was lying on the floor of a covered wagon, the shade a welcome change from the oppressive heat. He became aware that both his boots and Jacen's jacket had been removed, which helped to further cool him down. He spotted a grey robed figure seated against the wall of the wagon, a Whiphid with a conical hat made of straw. Standing directly across from him was Artoo, who had been hooked up to an external power supply. The droid swivelled its head to regard him and twiddled out something that the boy didn't catch.

"You've had quite an ordeal, Benjamin Skywalker," the alien stated, staring at him with yellow eyes.

Flooded with panic, the boy was on his feet, reaching for his lightsaber that was no longer in his possession.

"Calm yourself, Padawan," he advised, "You have heat stroke."

"Who...Who are you?" he demanded, "Where are you taking me!?"

Artoo twiddled out an assurance that he was safe, but Ben's heat-induced paranoia prevented him from letting down his guard.

"K'Kruhk. You may call me K'Kruhk," the Whiphid introduced, trying to get him to calm down, "You're onboard a caravan headed for Anchorhead. Currently we're camped out at the Motesta Oasis."

The revelation only served to increase boy's panic, having missed his stop at Bestine completely.

"I can't be here," the boy declared, "I've gotta get back to Coruscant."

"Not in your condition," K'Kruhk advised, "Sit back down."

The Whiphid exuded calm through the Force, and Ben found himself compelled to comply, despite his hesitance. The boy relented and took a seat back down on the floor, though he continued to eye him with suspicion.

"Tell me, what's a Padawan doing travelling alone in the middle of the desert?"

"You keep using that word," Ben said, "But I don't know what it means."

"It is the rank initiates attain when they pass their trials. You are a Jedi, are you not?" he questioned, producing the boy's lightsaber.

Ben reached out with the Force, trying to seize the weapon telekinetically, but found the action nearly impossible. He became briefly concerned that something was wrong with him, that he was losing his connection to the Force.

"Something has unbalanced the Force," K'Kruhk stated, as if discerning his thoughts, "It's as if every Force-sensitive's connection is somehow being blocked."

"But how?" he asked.

"I do not have the answer to that question," the Whiphid admitted, "All I can say is that began not long after that Force Storm."

"Force Storm?"

"You were no doubt caught in it," he continued, "I've only ever heard of it occurring on Tython, but while we were passing through Carnthout, I overheard spacers talking about experiencing it on other worlds."

"So...you're a Jedi then," Ben stated.

"I've been a teacher in recent decades," K'Kruhk corrected, rising to his feet.

He motioned the boy to lay back down and gently drew the blanket over his semi-clothed form.

"Try to get some rest," he urged, placing the cloth back on his forehead, "Supper won't be for a while yet."

"Okay...," he said with reluctance.

K'Kruhk then headed for the entrance, drawing aside a leather sheet that separated them from the desert. He handed over the boy's lightsaber to Artoo, who promptly stored it away within one of his compartments.

"Grandpa was right," Ben said abruptly, "He said I'd encounter help."

"I'm no help to anyone," he whispered bitterly, vanishing through the doorway.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Maelstrom

Location: Tosche Station

The next day...

* * *

Ben let out a hiss of pain, his sky blue eyes glaring angrily at the Whiphid who was gently prodding his injured ribs.

"They're not broken," K'Kruhk declared, "At the very worse they're fractured."

He could breathe a little easier following the diagnosis, though having to get his bandages rewrapped was going to be a literal pain. Sitting up from his position on the floor of the caravan, Ben watched as he removed herbs from a pouch at his utility belt, intent on preparing a healing draft.

"You normally carry around medical supplies?" Ben questioned.

"When you've cheated death as many times as I have, you learn to carry the basics," he replied.

The boy couldn't tell if the Whiphid was merely joking or being serious, but it was probably a good bet to believe the latter.

"So...how come you didn't rejoin the Jedi Order after my father rebuilt it?"

He could see a flash of sadness in the Whiphid's yellow eyes, and quickly concluded that it was a question that should've gone unasked.

"A prudent question, but one that I am not yet ready to answer," K'Kruhk stated, handing the boy a plastoid bowl.

Ben decided it was best to drop the matter entirely, instead he silently drank the draft. He grimaced at the foul taste, but found that it was quickly working to numb the pain in his ribs.

"That's gross," he complained, sticking his tongue out for added effect.

"It's not suppose to taste good," the Whiphid said with chuckle.

Grabbing a roll of bandages, K'Kruhk motioned for the boy to stand, allowing him to rewrapped his injured ribs. He released another hiss of pain, the bandages wrapped so tightly that it made difficult to breath.

"How much longer 'til we reach Anchorhead?" Ben asked.

"We've got a few hours left before we arrive at our destination," he answered.

"What am I suppose to do until then?"

"Get some rest. We've got a couple of hours more before we reach our destination."

"Oh goodie, more crippling boredom," he sighed.

"No one ever said this would be entertaining."

K'Kruhk rose to his feet and headed back outside, no doubt wishing to converse with the caravan leader. Left on his own, Ben let out a huff and crossed his arms in annoyance, his mind too active to allow himself rest. Remembering what had been said about the Force having been unbalanced, he immediately decided to investigate. One of the ways to interpret the Force was to visualize it as an vast ocean, frequented by ripples. However, instead of the relative calmness that he had come to expect, he felt as if he had been tossed into the middle of a storm. Waves spread violently outward, and dark clouds swirled overhead, casting a shadow over everything. It was a startling experience, one that nearly forced Ben to retreat due to his unpreparedness. He could feel something pulling at him from a great distance, as if it were desperately trying to capture his attention. Expanding his senses, the boy was able to detect someone located within the heart of the storm. The individual was roiling in agony, and Ben felt compelled to investigate the source of it. Visualizing himself flying forward, he could feel himself slowly approaching the epicenter of the storm. It only grew in intensity the closer he got, with each ripple slamming into him like a blow to the stomach. He felt his concentration slip just a little, but was nonetheless able to maintain his immersion within the Force. Arriving at the site of the disturbance, he beheld a massive rift, akin to a whirlpool or a sinkhole. It was ever expanding, and threatened to devourer everything within its path.

 _"What happened here?"_ he asked, though he received no answer.

He could feel himself be drawn to something within it depths, as if something was reaching for him across a great distance. Attempting to withdraw from the Force, Ben felt a cry for help echo forth from the maelstrom. Focusing his senses, the boy plumbed the depths of the whirlpool, past the layers of distortion and finding a grey flame at its center. It was inconceivable that that was the cause of all the turmoil, yet he felt only an intense anguish radiating forth when he probed it. By comparison, it made his own pain, both physical and emotional, seem all the more insignificant. He hadn't experienced pain like that since the Yuuzhan Vong cut a swath through the galaxy. He had only been little at the time, but it had negatively impacted him, causing him to shun the Force for many years. One person couldn't possibly bear such grief alone, and he was obliged to do something about it. Against his better judgement, he descended into the cavity, feeling a calmness, but instead of peacefulness, he felt only an intense foreboding.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Depths

Location: The Wellspring

Afternoon...

* * *

Ben had expected the vortex to open into a cavern, instead it was a wide open space. It was a barren landscape of black rock, occasionally lined with deposits of red crystals. Wisps of dark clouds filled the sickly green sky, oftentimes indistinguishable from the slabs of rock that floated free of gravity's hold.

 _"What is this place?"_ he asked aloud, though he received no answer.

Planting his booted feet upon the scorched ground, Ben found himself standing over a large chasm. Pools of blacked water that had gathered amongst the low ground, but he dared not touch them. He could sense the presence nearby, thus he headed in the direction where the pull felt the strongest. The landscape was unsettling, and the youth was thankful that his did not require much effort. His quarry floated at chest height, allowing him to easily cupping the flame with both his hands. Making contact, a sensation of cold warmth quickly spread throughout his nonexistent body. Ben felt the flame trembled against his touch, as if the being it represented was sobbing uncontrollably. Unsure of what he should do, the boy made an attempt to comfort the unseen individual.

 _"It'll be okay,"_ he assured.

He felt a flash of curiosity and relief emanate from the quivering flame, the being had become aware of his presence.

 _"You...I've sensed your presence before...long ago,"_ the flame stated, pulsing with the mental voice belonging to an adult male.

Ben was taken aback by the man's proclamation, certain that he had never encountered him before.

 _"What do you mean?"_ the boy questioned, suddenly becoming weary of the stranger.

 _"I beheld your light as it was birthed in to the galaxy,"_ he answered, _"It was a shining beacon amongst the death and destruction wrought by the invaders."_

 _"Invaders?...You mean the Yuuzhan Vong. Who are you?"_

 _"It is something I can no longer recall. I've been trapped here for so long...with no one to hear my cries for help."_

 _"This place, what is it?"_ he asked, glancing around the landscape.

 _"It has been given many names by many cultures,"_ he voice answered, _"Some call it the Well of Souls, others call it the Wellspring of Life. Whatever the name, it is here where the dreamers sleep, waiting for the moment that they would be birthed into the Force."_

 _"You're...not a Force Ghost...are you?"_

 _"I'm very much alive,"_ the unseen man stated, _"Torn free from my body, I've expended much of my energy trying to keep my mind and essence from being eroded away."_

 _"Can't you get back to your body?"_ Ben asked.

 _"I no longer have the strength to fight. In the end, the darkness will take me...and I will become nothing."_

A frown formed on the youth's face, the realization that the man would perish if something wasn't done. Knowing nothing about the individual, his parents would view such an action as reckless, if not potentially dangerous. He probed the flame, feeling past the emotions and sensing an individual torn between light and darkness. His thoughts turned to Jacen, and what he might've done if he were in a similar situation. Soon after the guilt came back, gnawing away at his conscience for his inability to save his cousin. Resolving not to make the same mistake twice, Ben made up his mind and declared his intentions.

 _"I'll do it! I'll free you."_

Holding onto the flame, Ben visualized himself rising up out of the rift, but he could feel a weight pressing down on him. Any feeling of relief he felt welling up within him as he continued to rise was quickly snuffed out when his left arm snapped back violently. Ben cried out in shock more then pain, but still he managed to hang onto the ball of flame. The higher he climbed, the less progress he seemed to make, and the more the flame seemed to slip from his grasp. As if caught in a breeze, he watched as the grey flame was blown backwards, spreading itself like a blaze. It began to coalesce into the form of a bearded man, with dark hair and an unremarkable appearance. His body was wrapped in brown robes, though both his legs were missing at the knee and his left arm was missing at the elbow. They were being devoured, just as the man had warned, causing a feeling of panicking to rise within the boy. Ben seized the man's remaining arm with both hands, desperate to hold on, but feeling his grip weakening.

 _"I can't do it!"_ the boy cried out at the futility of the attempt.

 _"Trust in yourself,"_ the man urged.

He closed his eyes and pulled as hard as he could, but could feel himself being dragged down into its depths. As his strength failed him and he was forced to let go, watching as the man was sent floating away.

 _"May the Force go with you, little brother. I place what little hope I have left with you."_

Those words came bubbling to the surface, spoken to him long ago, but had long been forgotten. He hadn't been able to perceive those words let alone comprehended them, but now he understood the weight of their meaning. He threw himself at the man, seizing a hold of the man's robes in a desperate attempt to prevent him from slipping away.

 _"I remember you...,"_ Ben declared.

 _"And I see you, little one,"_ the man stated, placing a hand on the boy's head.

 _"You've been here...this whole time...waiting for me?"_

 _"Longer then you could even imagine."_

 _"If I hadn't been so afraid..., I could've saved you sooner."_

 _"I do not blame you, little one. The pain and suffering you felt, no one could've emerged from that unscathed."_

 _"But I could've helped you..."_

 _"It would've done no good,"_ he lamented, _"It is only at this very moment that I might find freedom."_

 _"Why me?"_ Ben whispered, his grip on the man's robes tightening.

 _"Because, you were my last and final hope."_

With their continued decent, the boy could help but feel that the man's faith was well and truly misplaced. Now he was surely going to fail him, just as he had failed his cousin. Drawing on the Force, the youth tried desperately to pull themselves out of the rift, but it was no use. Within the throes of despair, Ben felt them rapidly rising to the surface of the Force. Searching, he discovered the reason why; the man was sacrificing his spiritual body to the eroding elements of the Wellspring.

 _"What are you doing?"_ the boy gasped in surprise.

 _"Hold on to me, Ben,"_ he ordered.

The youth watched as the man's spiritual body returned to its flame-like form, which was rapidly shrinking in size. Clutching tightly to the flame, Ben was sent shooting through the rift towards the surface.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Pressing Onward

Location: Tosche Station

Afternoon...

* * *

Letting out a gasp, Ben found himself once more seated within the caravan destined for Anchorhead. It took a moment to get his breathing under control, prompting Artoo twiddled out a question as to his wellbeing. The boy was on his feet in an instant, launching himself through the entrance with such abruptness that it caused the astromech to shriek out in surprise. The hot sand burned his bare feet upon contact, while his eyes were blinded by Tatooine's twin suns. Slowly the desert landscape came into focus, but a quick search for the robed man yielded nothing. He slumped his shoulders in disappointment, the feeling of failure returning stronger then before. The boy's vision blurred with the flow of tears, forcing the preteen to wipe them away with his bare arm.

 _"You needn't cry,"_ a voice said, drifting upon the desert wind.

Ben whipped his head around, red hair fanning outward in his search for the source, but still he found nothing.

"I wasn't crying," the boy insisted, "Just had sand in my eyes."

 _"Sure you did,"_ he chuckled.

"Where are you?"he asked, staring into the cloudless sky.

 _"Too much of my essence was sacrificed in order to aid in our escape,"_ the man admitted, _"I wanted to thank you, while I still had the chance. Because of you, I am free again, little one."_

"Ben," he introduced, "my name is Ben."

 _"I remember. I heard a voice say that name the day you were born."_

"Wait! You said while you still had a chance. That doesn't mean..."

 _"No. I'm merely being drawn back into my body,"_ he replied, much to the boy's relief, _"Nothing I say or do could ever be enough to thank you."_

"I only did what any person would've done."

 _"You give yourself too little credit. Farewell, little one. May we meet again one day."_

He could feel the presence slowly fade into nothingness, leaving the youth alone once more. He stood there for sometime after, watching as the sand drifted across the desert

"Ben? Why aren't you resting?" K'Kruhk asked, approaching the boy.

"I...it's nothing," he replied, his breath coming out all shaky.

The Whiphid suspected that there was more to it, but decided it was better not to force the issue.

"We're heading out again. We should finally reach Anchorhead in the next few hours."

Nodding his head, the former Jedi guided the boy back to the caravan, to get a few hours of rest before they reached their destination. Artoo trilled a question upon re-entering the caravan, concerned about his rash behaviour.

"I-It's nothing," Ben replied, heading for the bedroll.

"I'll awaken you once we've arrived."

"Okay..."

As K'Kruhk departed, he laid down on the bedroll and closed his eyes in an attempt to get some shuteye. Unable to shake the feeling that he had just unleashed something dangerous upon the galaxy.

* * *

Location: Anchorhead

Three hours later...

* * *

Reaching their destination, Ben and K'Kruhk had immediately chosen to part ways with the caravan. Now they walked the narrow streets, the boy sticking close to the Whiphid for safety sake. Artoo followed closely behind, show his mistrust in the beings that surrounded him.

"You seem awfully protective of that lockbox," K'Kruhk stated, noticing he was clutching it against his chest.

"It's meant for my dad," the boy replied, "It was left behind by Obi-Wan."

"Mater Kenobi? Now that's a name I've not heard in a very long time."

"Did you knew him?" Ben asked, though the answer should've been obvious to him.

"We fought alongside each other during the Clone Wars," answered the Whiphid, "It's good to hear that he didn't perish when Palpatine enacted Order 66."

"Just how exactly am I suppose to get home?"

"Well...we can either contact your Jedi Temple, or we can charter a ship to take us to Coruscant."

"Or we can do both," the youth stated.

"Where do you believe the Force is guiding you?" K'Kruhk asked, now that the imbalance had been rectified.

Ben stopped beneath the awning of an shop and closed his eyes, feeling the pull of the Force. The Whiphid followed the boy's lead when he abruptly walked away, eventually arriving at one of the city's docking bay.

"Is this it?" he asked.

The boy nodded his head in confirmation, this was where the Force was directing them. The trio watched as a B1 battle droid with a mismatched torso and right arm walked past the entrance, an odd-looking ship rested on the duracrete floor behind him.

"Uh...Rowan, we've got company," the droid reported.

They felt terror ripple through the Force, exuded form a tan-skinned human with messy brown hair. His head appeared from behind a stack of plasteel crates, studying them with his dark eyes before relief flooded through the Force.

"Can I help you?" he asked, staying at a distance.

"We were hoping you might be able to help us," K'Kruhk stated, "We need to get to Coruscant."

"I'm just a scavenger," the man replied, "And I've got my own problems to deal with."

"Perhaps it is something that we could be of assistance," the Whiphid offered, slipping his hands into the sleeves of his robes.

The man regarded them with suspicion, his eyes eventually settling on Ben's exposed lightsaber.

"You Jedi?"

"We are," K'Kruhk confirmed.

"Maybe you can," the man admitted, "I'm a bit in over my head."

"That's an understatement," came the battle droid's scathing remark.

"Thank you, Roger."

"We would be happy to assist."

"...Come inside," Rowan said, heading in the direction of the starship.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Tales

Location: The Arrowhead

Ten minutes later...

* * *

Compared to the oppressive heat of the desert, the climate controlled interior of the starship came as a welcome change. The trio proceeded into the main hold, pursued by Artoo and the repurposed B1 Battle Droid. Rowan took a seat on the couch that was wrapped around a small conference table, with Ben and K'Kruhk taking a seat across from him.

"Roger, could you get some refreshments for our guests?" he asked.

The droid departed without a word, leaving the group to converse in relative privacy.

"...Have you ever heard of the Kyber Saber?" Rowan asked.

"It was a legendary weapon forged by Baird Kantoo," K'Kruhk stated, drawing on his Jedi knowledge, "it was fashioned out of pure Kyber crystal. But upon realizing the danger that such a weapon posed, Master Kantoo shattered it and had the pieces hidden away."

The man nodded his head, taking a moment to compose himself before continuing on with his story.

"My siblings and I run a salvaging operation out of the Wheel," he stated, "When I was a boy, we travelled to Nal Kapok in search of parts for one of my brother's Z-Wings that we intended to sell in order to pay off our landlord."

K'Kruhk knew that the jungle world had been the site of intense fighting during the Clone Wars, but said nothing, instead allowing Rowan to continue.

"While on Nal Kapok, I stumbled across the hilt of the weapon."

"How long ago was this?" the Whiphid asked, hiding his concern.

"It was sometime prior to the Battle of Endor," he admitted, turning his gaze to Ben, "I was probably around his age at the time."

"Was it coincidence or something more?"

"I'm Force-Sensitive, so I had the unusual ability to sense out the pieces of the Kyber Saber."

Ben immediately noticed that Rowan had used past tense in his sentence, and wanted to pursue that line of questioning, but was unable to do so.

"While there, I met a woman named Naare, who was searching for the Kyber Saber to keep it out of the hands of the Emperor. She trained me in the ways of the Jedi, but she wasn't one herself. Later I learned what she truly was; an agent of the Sith."

"I brought Sweet-sand cookie," Roger interrupted, returning with a tray, "We've only got blue milk though."

"That's fine," Rowan replied.

Setting the tray down, the battle droid promptly excused himself, allowing them to continue their conversation.

"What happened?" Ben asked, snagging a cookie.

"She had been manipulating me in to collected the shards, later taking the weapon for herself and turning against the Emperor."

"I can't imagine that going well," K'Kruhk commented, knowing that Palpatine didn't perish until the Battle of Endor.

"She attacked the Imperial Palace and forced the Emperor to flee," he replied, "I was able to steal weapon back, briefly dueling her before escaping. We later took the Kyber Saber to Mustafar and cast it into the lava."

"Probably for the best," the Whiphid admitted.

"What happened to Naare?" Ben asked.

Rowan was silent for a moment, as if he was struggling to compose himself, or find the right words.

"When I learned of Naare's true allegiances, my siblings and I attempted to collect the other shards before she could. She joined forces with a Hutt named Garballa, who I ran afoul of at the Balgaroth Asteroid Belt. He desired the Kyber Saber crystals for himself, but she turned on him once she learned of where I had hidden the seventh crystal. Last I heard, Garballa had her frozen in Carbonite as punishment for her treachery."

"I heard spacers talking about how Garballa had run afoul of the Exchange," K'Kruhk stated.

"I did as well," Rowan admitted, "I also felt Naare's presence in the Force several weeks ago. She's coming for me."

"How do you know that for sure?" Ben asked.

"She's not the type of person who wouldn't hold a grudge," he answered, "I left my family behind in order to protect them."

"She'll use them to try and get to you," the Whiphid warned, "You understand that, don't you?"

"I know..., that's why they've taken refuge with Maz Kanata on Takodana."

K'Kruhk knew of the infamous Pirate Queen of Takodana, whose castle served as a haven for pirates and smugglers. Born sometime in the final century of the New Sith Wars, it was rumored that she was Force-sensitive, but had avoided detection by the Jedi Order.

"I hope they'll be safe," Ben commented.

Rowan opened his mouth to say something, but promptly closed it upon feeling an unsettling chill spread throughout his body. It didn't go unnoticed by Ben or K'Kruhk, the latter releasing a growl from his throat.

"She's here," Rowan stated, abruptly rising to his feet.

"Are you sure it's wise to face her?" the Jedi Master questioned, concerned for his safety.

"You are worried regarding my lack of experience?" he asked.

"Should I be?"

"I may not have had any formal training, but I've studied the fighting styles of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, and Anakin Skywalker."

"How?" Ben asked.

"Roger saw a lot of action during the Clone Wars," he explained, "he's got their fights stored in his memory banks."

"Don't remind me!" the droid called out.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Festering Hatred

Location: Anchorhead

Afternoon...

* * *

The trio emerged from the Arrowhead, stepping into a dust storm that was blowing through the settlement. Moving towards the entrance to the docking bay was a figure silhouetted against the storm, radiating intense hatred.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Rowan?" a feminine voice declared, stopping just beyond the entrance to the docking bay.

"Not long enough, if you ask me," he stated.

"I've given you credit, you were wise to try and hide yourself from me, regardless of the futility."

"I'm not the little kid you tried to manipulate."

"No...you are not. Look how old you've gotten," Naare said.

Rowan didn't rise to the bait, instead allowing the lingering silence to do all the talking for him. She stopped just beyond the entrance to the docking bay, gray robes wrapped about her body as she pulled back the hood of her blue cloak. She looked exactly as he remembered her, with fair skin covered in white facial tattoos, dark eyes, and locks of black hair that fell to her shoulders. It wasn't all that surprising given how she had spent the past thirty-four years frozen in Carbonite.

"And who's this?...your son?" Naare questioned, eyes falling upon Ben.

He opened his mouth intending to issue a retort, but was silenced with a glare from K'Kruhk. The Sith Acolyte extended her hand, curling her fingers as if she were wrapping them around a glass, eliciting a choking gasp from the boy. Feeling the constricting of his windpipe, his hands instinctively flew up to his throat, desperate to alleviate the pressure. He was telekinetically hoisted into the air, and casually flung across the docking bay. The back of his head struck the underside of the Arrowhead, sending the boy's body crashing into the ground.

"BEN!" K'Kruhk roared, activating his lightsaber.

Unzipping the pocket on his pant leg, Rowan slipped his hand inside, feeling the cold metal of the lightsaber he had appropriated from her. He pulled it free, gripping it with both hand and activated its sapphire-blue blade.

"Have you any idea the indignity I suffered?" Naare growled, "hung up on a wall like some ornament by that Hutt!"

"Serves you right for stabbing Garballa in the back," Rowan commented.

She took several threatening steps forward, her eyes taking on a yellow colouration, while her facial tattoos turned red. Removing her own lightsaber from her utility belt, the Sith Acolyte activated its crimson blade. K'Kruhk and Rowan raised their weapons to meet her own, green and blue blades clashing with red. The sound of lightsaber combat filled Ben's ears, as the youth slowly began to regain consciousness. Lifting his head from the sand-covered duracrete floor of the docking bay, the boy found his vision blurred and unfocused. Drawing his legs beneath himself, he managed to assume a kneeling position. Hit by a wave of nausea, Ben was suddenly forced to lean forward, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground. He most certainly had suffered a concussion, there was no way that such a blow wouldn't have resulted in one.

"On your feet, Jedi," he heard Roger order.

He felt the droid's hands seizing him by the forearm, pulling him into a standing position. Vomiting a second time, the B1 battle droid practically dragged the youth back into the safety of the Arrowhead. Watching as the boy was moved out of harm's way, K'Kruhk allowed himself to go on the offensive. Launching an overhead attack, the Sith Acolyte sidestepped the strike, carving a deep grove into the duracrete. She retaliated with an upward swing, directed low in order to cleave him from groin to head. The Jedi Master from Toola blocked the attempt, meeting her lightsaber with his own. Rowan moved to strike at her from behind, Naare responded by releasing one of her hands and blasted her former student with Force Lighting. The attack came as a surprise, as she had never exhibited abilities like that during their duels. He let out a cry as pain ripped across his body, every one of his muscles suddenly seizing. Naare promptly shoved Rowan to the ground with a Force-enhanced push, giving the Whiphid her undivided attention. Breaking the saber-lock, K'Kruhk backed away, luring the Sith Acolyte away from the fallen scavenger.

"Afraid of me, Jedi?" she questioned.

"I've faced off against opponents who are far more intimidating then you," he declared.

Enraged by the jab, Naare launched herself forward, slashing at the Whiphid with her lightsaber. She caught only the folds of his cloak, slicing through the fabric with little to no resistance. As he continued backwards, he could feel her frustration increasing, which affected the way she fought. Anger fueled her strikes, each blow coming fast and hard, but K'Kruhk blocked each oncoming swing.

"You cannot win," he stated, calmness in his voice.

"Do not underestimate my power!" she warned.

"You put far too much faith in your so called 'power'."

As if to illustrate his point, the Whiphid employed Sun djem to disarm her, sheering away the top-half of the Sith Acolyte's lightsaber. With the loss of her weapon, Naare lashed out with both hands, bolts of blue lightning shooting from her fingertips. He grounded them with his lightsaber, but unfortunately, he was unable to move from his position. Rowan, seeing that the Jedi Master was in trouble, reaching out with the Force and hurled a plasteel crate at her head. Sensing the impending attack, she broke off her own and sidestepped the object as it hurtled past. K'Kruhk capitalized on her momentary distraction, deactivating his lightsaber and lunging forward. Seizing Naare by the wrists, he wrenched her arms apart, threwing his head back and slammed it into her face. She quickly became deadweight, held up only because of the Jedi Mater's physical strength. He let go of the Sith Acolyte, allowing her to fall unceremoniously to the duracrete ground.

"Guess I wasn't much help after all," Rowan lamented.

"No. You gave me the precious seconds I needed to end this fight without bloodshed."

"What'll happen to her now?" he asked.

"The Jedi Temple on Courscant has facilities capable of housing such individuals."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Homeward Bound

Location: The Arrowhead

Ten minutes later...

* * *

Having secured the Sith Acolyte, K'Kruhk turned his attention to a more pressing concern: Ben. The boy had undoubtedly suffered a concussion, which would require medical treatment. Rowan had assured him that the 2-1B surgical droid he had salvaged would treat the boy's injuries. In a small room that had been designated a medical bay, the Whiphid found the boy resting on a cot, his body covered in a thermal blanket. He was conscious, although based on his appearance, he was anything but alright. If he was aware of his presence, then he made no such indication, instead his attention was focused on the ceiling.

"How is he?" he asked, stepping into the room, pursued by Artoo.

"The patient has suffered a concussion," Twoonebee announced, though that had been obvious.

"Did you detect any bleeding or swelling in his brain?"

"Negative. I've administered treatment to the best of my ability, though I would advise that he be transported to a proper medical facility," the droid answered.

"We'll be making our way to Coruscant," K'Kruhk stated, approaching the side of the cot, placing a three-fingered hand on the boy's bare shoulder, "How are you feeling?"

Ben turned his head, regarding the Whiphid with blue eyes that were noticeably unfocused. His delayed response to his inquiry was yet another symptom associated with concussions.

"I...don't remember," the youth said, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

"I'm not surprised, you did take a pretty nasty hit to the head."

Revealing the durasteel lockbox, K'Kruhk placed it on the table next to the boy's head.

"We're taking you back to Coruscant, Rowan'll make sure of it."

With a slight nod of his head, Ben promptly went back to his persistent staring of the ceiling.

"You'll keep him under observation?" the Whiphid asked, turning his attention to the medical droid.

"Yes sir."

Nodding, K'Kruhk headed back into the hallway, Artoo remaining behind to watch over the boy. Heading for the cockpit, the Jedi Master found the scavenger conducting a pre-flight check.

"He alright?" the man asked.

"Twoonebee reports that there's no swelling or bleeding in his brain," he replied, slipping into the co-pilot's seat.

"That's surprising, all things considered."

"Luck might've been on his side in that instance. Did you manage to contact the Jedi Temple?"

"No. I was waiting till we were in orbit."

The Whiphid sensed that the middle-aged human had something else on his mind, but refrained from speaking up about it.

"You're thoughts betray you," K'Kruhk commented.

"I'm worried about Naare...," he began.

"What has you concerned?"

"What's preventing her from waking up and causing trouble?"

"I used Morichro on her, it's a potentially dangerous Force technique which slows the body functions of the target."

"Why is it dangerous?"

"If a being is subjected to the technique for too long then they'll die of starvation and dehydration."

"Oh..."

"Only a few Jedi were ever taught the ability, Master Yaddle was one such practitioner."

Satisfied with that answer, Rowan flicked on several switches on the console before him, which brought the Arrowhead rumbling to life. Bringing the repulsors online, the ship lifted off the duracrete floor of the docking boy. Increasing the power, raised the vessel higher and higher, until it hung over Anchorhead. Activating the thrusters, Rowan steered the Arrowhead in the direction of Tatooine's orbit. Free of the desert world's planetary gravity, he activated the long range HoloNet transmitter.

"It's all yours," Rowan said.

Entering a series of numerical digits associated with the Jedi Temple, K'Kruhk hoped that it hadn't changed since Order 66. A moment later, a dark-haired man appeared on the screen, studying them with brown eyes.

"This is Jedi Master Kyp Durron," he announced, "Please state your business."

"Master Durron, I am Jedi Master K'Kruhk, I must speak with Master Skywalker immediately."

"Grand Master Skywalker is unavailable, he's attending to some urgent family business," he stated.

"This is in regards to his son, I have him in my care."

Rowan turned in his seat to regard the Whiphid, a look of surprise appearing on the scavenger's face.

"...Just one moment."

The screen went blank for several seconds, soon being replaced with the image of an older man with greying blonde hair. Beside him was a woman with flame-red hair and piercing green eyes.

"Master K'Kruhk, I was informed that you have my son."

"That is correct, Master Skywalker. I found him passed out in the desert here on Tatooine."

"Tatooine? We've been searching outward from the Ktil System where his cousin's shuttle last registered," he explained.

"Can we speak with him?" the woman asked, her resemblance to the boy unmistakeable.

"He's been through quite an ordeal," K'Kruhk explained, "he recently suffered a concussion when we were accosted by a Sith pretender."

"But he's alright?" she asked.

"No brain bleed or swelling," Rowan interjected, "Plenty of other injuries though."

"Who's that?" Luke demanded.

"Rowan Freemaker, Master Skywalker. You crashed your Y-Wing into my family's repair shop on the Wheel."

"I remember. It's good to see you again, Rowan."

"Likewise."

"We intended to headed for Coruscant," the Whiphid announced.

"I'll inform the temple to expect your arrival," the Jedi Grand Master stated, "We'll meet you there once we've reached out to the other search teams."

"Please have someone on standby for our arrival," K'Kruhk implored.

"There'll be a medical team waiting."

"Not really what he was referring to...," Rowan commented, his voice trailing off.

"We've got the fake Sith onboard, I placed her in a state of unconsciousness with Morichro, but she can't be allowed to roam free."

"She hunted me down after thirty-four years," the scavenger added.

"A wise decision," Luke admitted, "I'll have the Battlemaster on hand to oversee the transport of the prisoner to the Detention Center."

"Understood, Master Skywalker."

"May the Force be with you."

With the disconnection of the HoloNet, K'Kruhk turned to Rowan and gave his head a nod. Prepping the Anchorhead for the journey to Coruscant, the scavenger pulled back on a leaver and caused the stars to elongate.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Return

Location: Jedi Temple

Several hours later...

* * *

Jaina Solo stood within the turbolift, still clad in her orange flight suit, having not had a chance to get changed. Word had reached them that Ben had been found, and that he was en route to Coruscant. Unfortunately, Jacen was not with him, the presence of her brother via their twin bond was absent. Although he had developed the ability to limit his presence to her, this somehow felt different. The turbolift soon reached its destination, the doors opening out to the Docking Complex. She found her parents standing nearby, watching Coruscant's traffic-filled skies through the open hanger doors. Despite the brave face that they were putting on, she could feel their sorrow radiating through the Force. She had seen what losing Anakin had done to them, and she wondered whether they could bare the loss of another son. Sighing, Jaina scanned the hanger, taking note of the presence of several other individuals. Jedi Master Kyle Katarn stood a distance away, backed up by members of the Temple Security Force. Her aunt and uncle stood separate from her parents, no doubt trying to give them space. Jedi Master Cilghal was on hand as well, alongside Tekli and her own apprentice; Josat. They had been notified of Ben's injuries, and would be taken to the Infirmary for treatment. She stepped forward, stopping next to her parents, placing a comforting hand on the older mother's shoulder.

"Any news?" she asked.

"They've just entered the system," Leia replied.

She could hear the weariness in her voice, and she wondered if this would be what broke her. Glancing over to her father, she found that his face was an unreadable mask of stone. Sighing, she headed over to her aunt and uncle, her former master giving her a half-hearted smile.

"You alright?" the older woman asked.

"I...I'd be lying if I said I was fine," she admitted, "I can't...I can't do it again, I can't go through what I did when Anakin died."

"You're a lot stronger now then you were during the war," she stated.

"Maybe..."

Whatever else that could've been said went unsaid when she spotted a large vessel on approach. Passing through the doors, the starship deployed it's landing struts and slowly landed on the hanger's duracrete floor. The boarding ramp lowered and at first nothing happened, but then a brown-haired man exited the ship, followed by a robe Whiphid.

"Master Skywalker," Rowan greeted with a wave.

The Grand Master smiled back at the younger man, watching as he lingered next to the vessel's boarding ramp.

"Master Skywalker," the Whiphid greeted with a bow.

Master K'Kruhk," Luke greeted back, bowing as well, "Thank you for bringing our son home."

"It was my pleasure and duty. I would like to speak with you about returning to the Order, but I believe that can wait."

Luke was surprised by Whiphid's declaration, but nonetheless nodded his head in understanding.

"You still have the prisoner?"

"She'll not come out of the trance until I release it," he stated.

"I'll take you to her," Rowan offered.

Luke turned in Kyle's direction and nodded his head, causing the Order's Battlemaster to proceed forward with the Temple Security Force. Cilghal, Tekli, and Josat followed moments later, the latter two pushing a pair of repulsor gurneys up the boarding ramp and onto the ship. Kyle emerged from the ship several minutes later, followed by the repulsor gurney being pushed by Josat. It was surrounded by Temple security, which made the young man appear uncomfortable. Jaina caught only a momentary glimpse of a dark-haired lying on the gurney, her wrist and ankles restrained. Cilghal and Tekli followed shortly after with Ben, the boy's form having been covered with a thermal blanket.

"Ben!" Mara called out, rushing over to her son.

"Hi mom," the boy said weakly.

"What happened?" Mara demanded, staring into her son's eyes.

The youth opened his mouth to respond, but was promptly cut off by the Mon Calamari healer.

"Master Skywalker, please allow us to do our jobs," Cilghal urged.

Mara relented and stepped aside, allowing them proceed to the turbo lift unobstructed.

"I'll go with them, if you don't mind," K'Kruhk announced, "I'll be needed to undo the Morichro if we are to bring Naare back from unconsciousness."

Luke nodded his head in agreement and waved the Whiphid off with his blessing, turning his attention to Rowan, who was walking towards them.

"You have my thanks, Rowan."

"It was nothing," he replied, scratching the back of his head, "didn't even know that Ben was your son until K'Kruhk contacted you."

"How do you two know each other?" Jaina asked, confused by their friendliness.

"Your uncle and I crash landed on the Wheel during the Civil War," Leia explained, approaching with Han, "Rowan's brother and sister helped me evade Lieutenant Estoc's troops."

"And Rowan and I crashing on Felucia when their salvaging vessel accidently jumped to hyperspace," Luke added.

"That's Roger for you," the younger man admitted.

"Let go!" the former Separatist battle droid ordered, "That's not yours to take."

They heard a series of angry beeps and whistles coming from the Arrowhead, with those gathered briefly catching sight of the R2 unit. The astromech was clutching something with it grasper arm, something that the B1 battle droid was involved in a tug-of-war over.

"Roger...," Rowan began.

They watched as the droid's arm suddenly detached, sending Artoo tumbling over backwards and sliding the rest of the way do the loading ramp.

"Oh prefect...now you've gone and detached my arm," the droid grumbled, marching down the ramp.

"What's going on," the scavenger demanded.

"He was trying to steal those Brooks Propulsion rocket boosters," he stated, accusingly.

Artoo twiddled out an indignation, stating that they could be used to replace his damaged ones.

"Regardless, you shouldn't have taken them without asking," Luke scolded, helping the droid to his feet.

"Take them," Rowan said, "Brooks Propulsion Devices was shut down by the Empire, so you'll not find any more coming off the assembly line."

"Are you sure?" the older man asked in surprise.

"I salvaged those off an old R5 unit, but haven't done anything with them" he answered, "I'll even install them pro bono."

"As much as I appreciate it, I might have a job for you."

"Really?"

"Is your family still running that repair shop?" the Grand Master questioned.

"Yeah, but they took shelter on Takodana when I sensed that Naare was on the loose."

"Well...Lando got a hold of some old Defender-class light corvettes for the Order and he could use some help refurbishing them."

"I'll let Kordi and Zander know and get back to you," Rowan said.

"There's no hurry. In the meantime you're welcome to remain here at the temple."

"Thank you, Master Skywalker."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Location: Jedi Temple

One hour later...

* * *

Mara stared through the permaglass window of the Temple's Infirmary, watching as her son had his numerous injuries treated. She took note of a dark-haired boy of around eight years of age, who was observing the Master Healer. She identified the apprentice as Dalien Onasi; a Telosian who had been enrolled in the academy some three years earlier.

"What did Master K'Kruhk have to say," she asked, sensing her husband's approach.

"He was explaining his reason for wishing to rejoin the Order," he replied, stopping beside her.

"Which was...?"

"That he had been dwelling on the past for too long."

"He obviously served the order before, where has he been this whole time?"

"In hiding on Arkinnea," Luke explained, "He located the ruins of an abandoned Jedi Outpost and hid out there with survivors of the Hawkbat Clan."

"Isn't that one of the old Training Clans?" Mara asked.

Luke nodded his head, his attention focused on what was taking place within the infirmary.

"The clan was being housed at a Jedi Chapter House on Bogden 3 during the Clone Wars, specifically around the time of the Siege of Saleucami. They were due to return to the Jedi Temple, but were delayed because of the Battle of Coruscant."

"So they were able to avoid Order 66."

"They avoided Operation: Knightfall, but not all of them survived Order 66. Had Master K'Kruhk not been there, they would've all surely perished."

"What was he doing there?"

"He and a Jedi named Sian Jeisel were recuperating at the facility after their shuttle was forced to make an emergency landing. When Order 66 was enacted by Palpatine, Jedi Jeisel scarified herself in order for them to escape."

"And the younglings, what became of them?"

"Master K'Kruhk continued their Jedi Training," he answered, "They became Padawans and Knights under his tutelage until the Yuuzhan Vong invaded."

"And...I don't like where this is heading," Mara commented.

"His students left to combat them, but he doesn't believe any of them survived the encounter."

"What do you believe?"

"I've asked Master Zuma to look into the matter," he replied, "If any of them are still alive then we'll find them."

"I have to say, Dalien's certainly proving himself quite capable," she commented, wanting to change the subject.

"Master Jor-Sharu has been good for him," admitted the Grand Master, "I had my doubts, but Tionne was correct in removing him from the Training Clan in favor of one-on-one training."

"I didn't think he'd return after what had transpired on Voss," Mara said.

Outside the Jedi High Council, there weren't many people who knew the exact details of what had happened. The experience had had a traumatic effect on Dalien, convincing the boy that he was destined to become evil. He had disserted the Order, instead fleeing for the safety of his homeworld of Telos. Master Jor-Sharu eventually managed to track down his wayward apprentice, assuring the boy that that was not the case. Convinced to return, Dalien had directed his Force talents towards the art of healing. Hearing the durasteel door slid open, the two Jedi Masters turned in time to see Cilghal emerging.

"How is he?" Mara asked.

"Two fractured ribs, dehydration, and a concussion," the Mon Calamari replied, "He also has the inevitable sunburn that comes with having such a fair complexion."

"May we see him?" Luke asked.

"For the moment," she agreed, "I'd like to him to remain under observation, at least until I'm satisfied that his health isn't in danger."

Both nodded in agreement, not wishing for their only child to suffer any irreversible damage.

"Thanks, Cilghal. We'll not take up too much time," Luke assured, as they watched her walk away.

Entering the infirmary, Luke and Mara found their son laying within one of the many empty beds. His clothes had been replaced with a white hospital gown, while a strip of cloth bandages had been wound around his head.

"Ben, can you tell us what happened?" Mara asked.

Though it was concern with the amount of time it took form him to answer, they both knew that it was a symptom of the concussion.

"...There...was a problem with Jacen's shuttle," the boy began, "...we had to make an emergency stop in...the Ktil system to make repairs."

"What else do you remember?" Luke inquired.

"There...was another ship. It attacked us. Jacen was...sucked into space. I felt him die."

Seeing how difficult a time that his son was having, the Grand Master decided to put an end to the debriefing. Any other questions would have to wait, at least until Ben's condition had improved.

"Master Cilghal has requested that you remain under observation," he stated, "so get some rest."

Nodding his head reluctantly, Ben settled into the bed as his parents headed for the door.

"I have a bad feeling," Luke muttered.

"You always say that," Mara commented, "but I've got the same feeling. Hopefully the data recorder they recovered from the wreckage will help us identify the attacker."

"It about all we can hope for," he sighed, "We need to plan for Jacen's memorial service."

"I'm gonna give Han and Leia an update on Ben," she stated.

Nodding, he watched as his wife made her way in the direction of the Medical Center's turbolift.

"D...Dad?" Ben whispered, catching his father's attention.

Turning, Luke found his son half-hanging out of bed, and moved to help him get back in. Reaching over to grab his shoulder, the boy abruptly rolled over, clutching a durasteel lockbox within his arms. He attempted to relinquish possession of the object, much to the elder Skywalker's confusion.

"What's this?"

"...Artoo found it...in Obi-Wan's hut."

"You stumbled across his hut?" he questioned, prompting the boy to nod.

"Grandpa led us there."

Taking the lockbox in his hands, Luke took note of the Aurebesh lettering engraved on its surface. It was addressed to him, but he couldn't fathom how it had gone unnoticed by both himself and Leia.

"Thank you, Ben," he said, hugging the boy, "You have no idea what this means to me."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Visitation

Location: Jedi Temple

The next day...

* * *

Ben let out a sigh, slamming shut the volume of the Jedi Path that was intended to elevate his crippling boredom. Having failed to do its job, the youth flung it unceremoniously to the foot of his bed. It had been compiled from a surviving copy by his father and Master Solusar, and served as a guidebook for those joining the reconstructed Jedi Order.

"I'M BORED!" he complained, flopping backwards against the mattress.

Having been determined to not be well enough to be released from her care, Cilghal was keeping him under observation for another full day.

"You could try talking to me," a voice stated.

He felt himself jump in surprise, having forgotten that he wasn't the only one in occupation of the space. Dalien was seated at a nearby workstation, the young apprentice's attention fixated on cobbling some contraption together.

"What are you doing?" Ben asked, taking the younger boy's advice.

Putting together medpacs," he answered.

"Why?"

"Because the Quartermaster needs them for the field kits and he's running low."

"Sounds boring," he said, letting out a phoney yawn.

"I don't mind," Dalien admitted, "what credits I get paid I send back home to my grandparents."

"What happened to your parents?"

"They died from a Cholera Outbreak when I was three," Dalien admitted.

"You don't seem too broken up about it."

"How am I suppose to mourn someone I barely remember?" he asked, twisting around in his seat to flash the older boy a dirty look.

Realizing he had displayed a complete lack of empathy for his fellow apprentice, the young Skywalker quickly decided to change the subject.

"Any siblings?"

"I have a younger brother named Ruisseau. He was diagnosed with autism, so the money I get goes towards his therapy."

"I...I'm sorry," he said, a frown formed on the boy's face.

"Are you the one responsible for his condition?" Dalien questioned.

"Well...no."

"Then you have no reason to apologize."

A long silence formed between the two, broken only when the Telosian native finally spoke.

"I saw you at the Academy," he announced.

"Yeah..., I lived there with my parents," Ben stated, "we took up residence in the Temple once the Reconstruction Authority finished rebuilding it."

"Everyone was saying that the reason why you didn't attend was because you weren't Force-sensitive."

"No..., I was just...afraid of it."

There came a chime, prompting Dalien to drop to the ground, taking a moment to smooth out the wrinkles of his navy-blue tunic. It matched his boots and long sleeves, while his pants and short sleeves were both powder-blue. He approached the door to the infirmary and opened it, stepping out into the hallway of the Medical Center. Ben could see the serious expression that had formed on the boy's face, even before he had reached his bedside.

"There's someone outside who wishes to see you," he stated, "are you up for having a visitor?"

"Why not. I've had no one else pay me a visit in the past several hours."

Nodding his head, Dalien headed back to the hallway, returning with a young boy he instantly recognised as Prince Tadeas.

"Hi," he greeted cheerfully.

"Your highness, I thought you would've returned home by now," Ben stated.

"We heard that you had gone missing," he replied, "I begged mother to hold off on returning home until we knew you were alright...are you alright?"

"A little banged up, but I'll live."

"That's good to hear," Tadeas said.

Someone cleared their throat, causing the trio to turn to see Lycurgus standing within the doorway. It was the Royal Protector's way of urging the prince to hurry up, prompting the boy to let out a sigh.

"I've got to go," he admitted, "But I'd like to extend to you an invitation to visit Zakuul in the near future, perhaps when you are well enough."

"I-I'd like that, your highness," Ben said.

"I bid you adieu then," he said with a bow.

Turning on his heel, Tadeas immediately marched for the door, with Lycurgus falling in behind the boy.

"Well...that was something," Dalien commented once the pair had departed, "Since when did you become friends with the Prince of Zakuul?"

"I got roped into being part of the committee that welcomed the Zakuulans to Coruscant," Ben replied, "He approached me during the reception party at their embassy."

"I see..., are you planning on taking him up on his offer?"

"All depends on what my parents say."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: In Memoriam

Location: Jedi Temple

Four days later...

* * *

Stepping though the doorway of his bedroom, Ben found both of his parents waiting for him. Today was his cousin's memorial service, and the somber mood was reflected in his clothing. He was dressed in a pair of black pants, with a long-sleeved black shirt, and a pair of black boots. Still suffering from light-sensitivity as a result of his concussion, Ben had been permitted to wear a pair of dark sunglasses. He walked past his parents without a word, exiting the apartment and stepping out into the hallway. They proceeded to the Mourning Court, where most of the members of the Jedi Order had gathered. Some were on assignments that prevented them from attending, but the majority had come. Located within one of temple's new pyramids, the atrium's ceiling had been retracted, allowing light and air to filter throughout the chamber. The floor was carpeted with live Sturdimoss, which gave the Mourning Court a natural element. There was a stone bier located within the center of the chamber, empty because there had been unable to recover Jacen's body. Masters of Jedi Order had gathered around the speaker's podium, which also included his aunt and uncle, as well as Jaina. Taking his place beside his mother on the stage, Ben watched as his father approached the podium.

"We have come to this sacred place to say farewell to our dear friend, to a fierce warrior and a noble dispenser of justice. Jacen Solo was one of the brightest stars of the Jedi Order, and we will miss him."

Those words seemed laughable to Ben, as his father had previously made no attempt to hide his growing distrust of his nephew. His father continued his speech to those gathered, but he had lost interest in what he had to say. Suddenly, it became abundantly clear that the situation was very real, that Jacen was well and truly gone. He could feel the guilt gnawing away at his conscience, he abruptly walked off stage, unable to bear it any longer.

"BEN!" Mara whispered, trying to get him to stop.

The boy simple ignored his mother, instead heading for one of the exits that deposited him out into the hallway.

* * *

Location: Temple Gardens

Twenty minutes later...

* * *

Lush vegetation welcomed Leia as she stepped through the doorway that led to the temple's meditative gardens. It felt like she had stepped foot onto the surface of Yavin 4, which had been her brother's intention. All of the flora had originated from the jungle moon, painstakingly transplanted by the Ithorians. However, only those who had spent time training at the Praxeum would appreciate the effort. Following the stone pathways that wound its way throughout the chamber, finding Ixlis Nel tending to a Feather fern. The Head Groundskeeper was clad in simple leather garments, nearly blending in with the surrounding Marsh-grubbers. Strapped across his broad neck was a translator device, allowing his Ithorese to be translated into Galactic Basic.

"Good afternoon, Master Nel," Leia greeted.

The gardener turned around in search of the source, giving her what possibly construed as an Ithorian version of a smile.

"Greetings, Jedi Organa-Solo," he said, his voice vibrating mechanical.

"The gardens have turned out wonderfully," she stated.

"Thank you, my herd takes pride in our work."

"Maybe one day you'll be able to rehabilitate Ithor like you did Telos IV."

"We are encouraged by Chodo Habat's legacy," he stated, though there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

During the Yuuzhan Vong War, Ithor had been targeted by the invaders to destroy the Bafforr trees, whose pollen was poisonous to their living armour. A pollen-based bioweapon could've been developed, but Tsavong Lah unleashed a viral weapon upon the world. Rendered inhospitable, many Ithorians had relocated to worlds such as Borao, Öetrago, Upell and Felucia.

"You didn't happen to see my nephew?" Leia asked, "Red hair, shouldn't be too hard to miss."

The Ithorian gazed skyward, as if trying to recall weather having seen the wayward apprentice.

"I believe Kroon Taprirku saw someone matching his description near the waterfall," he stated.

"Thank you. I'll not take up anymore of your time," she said with a bow.

She continued her way through the Temple Gardens, eventually finding her nephew perched atop a large boulder. His knees were pulled nearly to his chest, while his head was bent so far forward that it was nearly hidden. Despite the roar of the waterfall, she could sometimes make out the sound of the boy's sobs. Despite Luke and Mara wanting to handle the situation, she had managed to convince them to let her handle it. Having raised three kids, she could sense that Ben's behaviour was brought on by something other then Jacen's untimely passing.

"Ben..., are you okay?" she asked, approaching.

"No...," the youth near whispered.

"Does this have anything to do with the memorial service?"

"No..."

"Tell me what's wrong," Leia implored, "no one can help you if you don't tell us."

"It's all my fault..."

"You can't possibly believe that."

"It is. I didn't want that stupid assignment...," the boy admitted, his voice quivering, "I wanted to get out of having to do it...I wanted something to happen, and then it did, and now Jacen's gone."

"Ben...," she began.

The boy suddenly pushed off of the boulder, throwing himself into his aunt's embrace.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Leia...I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Ben. This isn't your fault."

Her words did little to alleviate the boy's guilt, his heart-wrenching cries muffled by her robes.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Awake/Alive  
Location: The Home

One day later...

* * *

Located within a star system designated as MZX32905, the asteroid habitat once belonging to Darth Vectivus now had a new resident. Lumiya; Dark Lady of the Sith, had had taken up residence following the death of Carnor Jax, using it to keep herself hidden from the eyes of Luke Skywaker's Jedi. The asteroid was saturated with the dark side, which was the likely why she had been drawn to it. As she wondered through the halls of Vectivus' abode, she found herself stepping into the former Dark Lord's medical lab. It was brightly lit and sterile like a hospital, with just a hint of cleanser tainting the recycled air. Her attention was automatically drawn to the chamber, which was filled with a crimson liquid. She walked past the numerous medical droids tasked with monitoring the chamber, stopping only when she had reached the chamber itself. Squinting her green eyes, Lumiya could vaguely make out the silhouette of the man inside.

"Assessment of the patient's cognitive functions has shown renewed activity," one of the droids reported.

"Excellent. I had my concerns with him being exposed to the vacuum for as long as he was," she stated.

"Current projections indicate that the patient should regain full consciousness within a month's time."

It was the best that she could hope for, as it he was who they had ultimately settled upon. They had considered others for the task, but various factors had led them to dismiss those individuals as unfit to uphold Bane's Legacy. Stepping closer to the tank, the Dark Lady of the Sith placed her hand against the glass. Sensing her presence, the figure inside suddenly moved, bringing a smile to her face.

"I will complete the training that you began, Vergere," she declared.

* * *

Location: Takodana

That same time...

* * *

The interior of the castle was a hive of activity, filled with all sorts of unsavory individuals from half a dozen worlds. She could hear snippets of conversations, but Maz Kanata's attention was focused on her guests.

"So...," Zander Freemaker began, "you want us to repair an old Dynamic-class freighter?"

"That is correct," stated the Pirate Queen.

"That's a tall order, Maz," Kordi warned, "Dynamic-class freighters were common during the Old Old Republic, but we'll be lucky if we can find design-specs."

"We could try switching out the components with an XS stock light freighter," the elder Freemaker stated, "If memory serves, then the Dynamic-class freighters were designed to be modified without compromising the other systems."

"Smart thinking, big brother."

"Let's not start throwing ideas around," Maz urged, "I've got a contact in the Zann Consortium who owes me numerous favours. He'll get you the appropriate components."

"That'll solve that problem," Zander said to his sister.

"There's still the issue of finding the design-specs."

"If you are unable to locate them, then the owner's droid would surely be of assistance."

"A droid familiar with the ship would help immensely," Kordi said, "Can we see him?"

"I'm afraid the droid won't leave the side of his master," the Pirate Queen answered, "He's currently laid out in my infirmary."

"Well...I guess a little research never harmed anyone," Zander stated.

"Do this and your debt to me will be squared."

"Well when you put it that way...," Kordi began.

"You'll find the ship in a private hanger in Andui."

Nodding their heads, the pair rose to their feet and headed through the main hall, towards the front doors of the castle. Maz watched as they disappeared outside, prompting her to summon ME-8D9 to her side.

"Emmie, I'm going to pay 'sleeping beauty' a visit," she announced to the protocol droid, "can you handle things while I'm gone?"

"Yes, of course."

Content with the droids answer, Maz slid out of her chair and headed for an adjacent doorway. The music that filtered in from the main hall was still audible, even when she finally reached the infirmary. Stepping into the room, her attention was drawn to the ancient T3-series utility droid positioned next to the bed. The droid failed to acknowledged her presence, its attention focused solely on the sleeping figure. He was a human male, with a bearded face that was unremarkable in appearance, and dark brown hair spilling across his pillow.

"There has been no change in his condition," the 2-1B medical droid reported.

They had detected a spike of brain activity five day earlier, and they had been optimistic that he would awaken, but still he remained comatose.

"I see. His companion, where did she wonder off to?" she inquired.

"She stated she was going down to Lake Nymeve."

"Inform me if there are any changes," Maz instructed.

"Of course, mistress."

Placing a hand atop the droid's discus-shaped head, the T3-unit let out a mournful whistle.

"You needn't worry," she stated, staring at the scarred Mandalorian mask that rested on the bedside table, "I'm sure he'll awaken soon."

She soon departed, and not twenty minutes later, the man suddenly let out a gasp and opened his dark brown eyes.


End file.
